What are breasts for? Examining the U.S. double standard around breastfeeding

BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC: Why are moms
held to a double standard?

I stumbled across this cartoon in the Los Angeles Times last week and found it very pertinent to the way our country views women and breastfeeding. I've talked about breastfeeding in public in the past, but there is still an obvious double standard in the U.S. when it comes to breasts.

In the most natural sense, breasts are tools to feed, nurture, and nourish our children, and studies continue to show that breastfeeding offers lifetime benefits for moms and babies.

Although the biological function of breasts is indisputable, it is often forgotten. Instead, breasts are widely used as sexual symbols and marketing tools to sell everything from beer to lingerie.

While many Americans have no problem with breasts when they're sexually displayed in the media, breastfeeding moms are usually expected to show discretion when breastfeeding in public. This double standard can make it difficult for moms to continue providing their child the best start to life possible.

Breastfeeding is beautiful, natural, and (most importantly) nothing to be ashamed of. If we want to think larger, it is about the health of our nation! That is why we support all the public breastfeeding events set to happen in August during National Breastfeeding Month 2012.

We'll be showing our support through our blog, as well as on our Facebook and Twitter accounts. We're looking forward to this celebratory time when breastfeeding moms can come together to help raise awareness and erase the taboo of breastfeeding in public.