Going Topless

I spent most of my night reading about the GoTopless, or Topfree, movement in North America. I only stumbled upon the movement because of a link and a CuteOverload comment, but I was intrigued. It's something that I've never really given much thought to before, but it's an interesting social issue.

Basically, the movement states this:
1) Men and women are equals, and should have equal rights to go shirtless.
2) There is nothing inherently sexual about female breasts. They are natural and nurturing.
3) Their sexuality and taboo-ness come from the obsession with both keeping them covered up and uncovering them only in sexual situations.

The reading I did brought up a few very interesting facts, which I think paint a sad picture about the American view of the body.

Breastfeeding Tangent: I admit it, breastfeeding creeps me out. I know it's natural and healthy, but I have a very selfish view of my body (one of the reasons I've chosen not to have kids right now--I know I'm not ready for them.) However, it's generally accepted that breastfeeding is not only natural, but better for the baby. While I personally am against calling someone a bad mother because they choose not to breastfeed, most doctors consider it the healthiest option.

However, women are ashamed to breastfeed, in public at least. They run the risk of being on the receiving end of rude comments, getting kicked out of restaurants, and even being reprimanded by their boss for breastfeeding where they can be seen by others. This whole situation strikes me as being rather oxymoron. Government health agencies say it's best for babies to be breastfed, but then women are harassed and humiliated for doing in public places. And heaven forbid you accidentally expose your nipple while doing it. Some people have claimed that breast feeding is a sexual experience, all because of the obsession America has with breasts. Perhaps this is where some of my own hangups about breast feeding come from. (Although personally I think quite a few of my hangups come from the militant breastfeeding moms that talk about their breast milk as a living entity and talk about it as a religious experience--again, it may be best for the kid, but I'm selfish. At least I have the balls to admit it.)

Ignoring the breastfeeding issue, I inherently dislike the fact that because we hide breasts, they become sexualized, and so we hide breasts. It's a nasty cycle.

Fun Fact: At times in Victorian England, it would have been more scandalous to show part of your leg than your whole chest.

Fun Link: NYC (where it is legal for a woman to walk around topless) photographer Jordan Matter has taken a fantastic collection of topless women in non-sexual situations. To me, the best photos were the ones where the subject commented on her self image, or the experience of being in the shoot. I highly recommend giving it a look.