Don’t Bring Dirty Looks to a Machete Fight
How many looks of disgust or ohmahgosh rolls of the eyes do you think this mom gets breastfeeding in public?
Bingo! Not many. At least not from people with a full set of arms in their collection.
You could argue that it’s because she’s a part of a primitive society and that they’re all simply used to a yenta jii style of dress (loosely translated as “mostly or fully buck in nakedness”).*
* Not really. Cool your Google jets, I just made that up.
We know tribal cultures don’t have wicker huts that could even pass for a cute Gilligan’s Island version of a Gap or Target, so it’s totally understandable there would be a lot of the body left wearing only the colors of the wind. But there’s just something more to this image…
You think she’s carrying a couple feet worth of sharpened metal. I think she’s carrying a million miles of perspective. Maybe we can all learn a lesson from looking at motherhood in such uncivilized surrounds…
Maybe there’d be less friction and scorn for us if we just tore off our shirts, buried our faces in a jar of strawberry jelly and carried swords when publicly tending to the raising of our kids, or ordering really complicated drinks at the coffee house…
Maybe that wasn’t the right lesson to draw from this. You decide for yourself. I’ve given you a lot of blank canvas to work with.
–Andy
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Facebook or Machete
I’m not saying you get the machete if you don’t Like our Page. But I’m also not not saying that.
Instructional Diagrams
Some of my drawrings.
33 Comments
33 Responses to “Don’t Bring Dirty Looks to a Machete Fight”
I do think the overreaction toward breastfeeding in public is overreaction, but at the same time, there’s also something to be said about the vehemence with which breastfeeding-in-public proponents either passive-aggressively or even just aggressive-aggressively challenge that notion, as if DARING something to make a fuss.
There’s a compromise to be had here, and it starts with “civility,” something that’s slowly eroding.
While we in America and probably other Western societies take far too puritanical a view toward “OMG TITS!!!!” the point is that that view does exist, it’s real, and that no amount of shoving boobs into everyone’s faces (figuratively or even literally) is going to change that. Bikinis may get smaller, cleavage more pronounced, and porn more available on Teh Internets, but that’s only titillation (no pun intended there); breastfeeding forces confrontation with the topic, whether good or ill.
I don’t claim to have the right answer, because I don’t think there is one that’s easily had. Sure, we socially could stand to be a little more chill than our Pilgrim ancestors, but I said “easily.”
I think you’re right, there is no need to look for provocation.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable in such situation is even healthy. After all, we’re taught not to look at your friends/family members genitals…
However, you can breastfeed in public without showing almost anything, there are clothes for that. And little as it shows, some people will still feel it disgusting.
I’d say to them: just grow up!
I breastfed while ordering a complicated drink at a coffee house. Not joking. Just do it women. Who cares.
I completely agree. With Child# #1 I would excuse myself and go nurse my son in the car…Child #4 I would nurse her while standing in line at the grocery story. I got so good and comfortable at it that I could run all my errands, help with homework and carry on a conversation with a baby under my shirt
sans machete
Note to self – tear off shirt, whip out the goods, and breastfeed while waiting in line with thanksgiving groceries…..hopefully the line will clear, saving me some time.
Ive so had to do this. It wasnt as terrible as you might think. Though I wouldn’t wish for the situation to happen again. A mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do!
My wife didn’t have any problem breastfeeding in public. In fact, I don’t know anybody who did. I think the anti-BF thing is mainly a US phenomenon, it certainly doesn’t seem to be a concern here in Canada. The strongest reaction we got were warm smiles from other parents.
Now, that being said, the opposite issue can be a bit of a problem; a family member couldn’t breast feed her second for a medical reason, and found that BOTTLE feeding in public was dangerous political territory. She had complete strangers do everything from tell her she hadn’t tried hard enough to breast feed, to demanding to know what was in the bottle and whether it was the right temperature. She handled them a lot more nicely than I would have too.
Amen. I never had a problem breastfeeding in public either, and also don’t know anyone who did. But of course, I always carried a piece of cloth to cover the baby’s face and the mammary area…it was the best way to avoid offending anyone, and I got to feed my kids on their own time. Win-win!!
Well, it’s not only in the US.
We have the same “problem” in France. My wife didn’t breastfeed in public because she is too shy (prude?), but we still got a few comments from people when she annouced she would breastfeed. Like her gay boss (no offense, it’s true) who would not even consider bearing to see a bit of tit accidentaly…
Tits on the net are exciting but when they go out in real to feed, they become disguting… weird…
Awesome idea, Natalie!
I think my dagger eyes give off the appropriate level of “don’t screw with me while I’m nursing” but if they didn’t? I’d totally rock a machete.
Spoken like an educated man!
I have found that the people with the most disgust towards breast feeding in public are those without breasts themselves. I have physically heard many an ignorant male compare bfing in public to him whipping out his d!@k in public. Until we can disconnect breasts to being purely sexual entities, we will always have this problem. I still don’t understand WHY you must look at me BF in the first place; don’t like it? STOP LOOKING AT ME. It’s so simple. I mean, when dudes have to pee in stalls next to each other, do you HAVE to look at your junk? Just cause it’s out there, doesn’t mean its a requirement, right? I think it’s a FWP- for us to have to argue whether we think it’s ok or not to BF in public.
You are a good man, Andy!
I’m pretty sure WeirdFish pulled their post above out of MY head. That IS weird
Seriously, it’s allowed and all but I have more of a problem with the aggressive-aggressive moms who insist on doing it wherever they goddamn please, thank-you-very-much. If some people could lighten up about a mom doing it ANYWHERE in public, that would be great. If some women didn’t try to pretend that we’re all supposed to shut our mouths when they defiantly walk around topless in the mall while every tween in a half-mile radius are gaping at them wide-eyed, that would be great too.
There wouldn’t *be* aggressive moms were it not for the aggressive people that make breastfeeding moms feel like they are doing something WRONG.
Here’s the deal, this is HOW HUMANS ARE SUPPOSED TO EAT. This isn’t about bottles or who didn’t try or who couldn’t nurse for medical reasons. This is about HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM to do something we are JUST SUPPOSED TO DO.
The people that have a problem with nursing in public have their panties all bunched up because either they think their husband might be checking for a nipple (get another husband or therapy), or they are vajealous (I’m using new vocabulary, thanks HowtobeaDad!) because they don’t have boobs themselves. OR, they haven’t come to terms with their food issues. They don’t want to know from where their food comes.
Whether you have a problem or not, there is no compromise that needs to be made. Children get hungry, and breastmilk is their perfect food. And if you can chew your gum, smoke your cigarettes, refuse to shower, wear that ugly yellow shirt, stand to close to me in line, fart in public, or any number of things that make me uncomfortable, I can feed my child.
Well, the second paragraph was clearly directed at my comment.
My wife breastfed in public. She did it all over the place, but with sufficient discretion. She never had anybody give her any grief at all, and we enjoyed that freedom.
Her sister had a right to feed her baby in public too. That she had to use a bottle to do it is nobody’s business but hers and her baby’s, but aggressive wakadoos made it their business. Mom-shamers sniping at her in public places, calling her a bad mother, typing angry all-caps comments on blogs, and driving her to hide in bathroom stalls. Disgusting. Worst thing we got was the people who clucked at us for using a stroller instead of a sling.
Honestly, I wasn’t directing anything I said to anyone specifically. I’m annoyed with the whole “controversy” in general! There shouldn’t *be* a controversy!
What I was attempting to express with my second paragraph is that when it comes to the topic of public nursing, there should be NO debate about bottles, or how long someone tried to nurse, or if they did at all. I think they are two very separate issues, and honestly, I wasn’t responding to you at all, Kevin.
The fact that people can’t keep their mouths shut and let parents PARENT drives me MAD! I had to bottle feed expressed milk to my LO sometimes, and even if it had been formula, it’s NOBODY’S business! I’m on your side, man!
She’s all, “That’s right motherfucker, I’m feeding my kid. You wanna say something about it? I’ll give you the same haircut I gave him.”
ROFL – awesome Andy!
That just made my day. Thanks.
I breastfed whenever and wherever I wanted/needed to. After the first few weeks nursing my first child, I realized that this is no big deal. This is what breasts were made for. I nursed both my children for about 16months. That meant there were a lot of feedings that were on the run. And no, I didn’t cover my babies face with a blanket, etc. My babies didn’t want to be hidden under a blanket. So, I didn’t. We live in Canada, and I never had a problem.
Live and let live. Feed and let feed. And save yourself a ton of negative energy by not judging other people for their choices. Bottle, breast — let a mother do what she is best for her and her family.
I was listening to NPR a couple of weeks ago, and they were discussing certain neighborhoods in CA where men walk around the town squares completely naked. These squares are on the public transit line, they are in shopping areas, and they are within sight of everybody. So these men can go through public life naked. . . but women aren’t supposed to publicly breastfeed.
As a first time mother at 40, I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to breastfeed. Although I personally did not feel comfortable nursing in front of anyone except my husband, I smiled at and encouraged others who were comfortable enough. In the 2 years and seven months I nursed (my daughter weaned herself) I heard many criticisms and few compliments or words of encouragement. Without a doubt I would be more open to nursing in public now that I have experienced it once from beginning to end. Note to self- On those days wear weirdo bead necklace or faux diamond nose stud to draw attention upward.
P.S. My husband, also modest but open to what is right for our family, said the only thing that made him uncomfortable was the way my daughter always squeezed and tweeked the breast she was not on. This picture made me happy to see such an endearing behavior crosses cultures and social norms.
My brother-in-law’s girlfriend was over at our house and venting about a person who just earlier that day was riding on the city bus (MUNI, SF, for those interested) saying, “And it wasn’t just a baby, either, it was like a TODDLER!” with such horror in her voice as I was nursing my 3-year-old in front of her.
I think she realized what she was saying after I gave her a semi-wide-eyed look of “Are we really doing this right now? Are we really having this conversation?”
She clammed up and I didn’t have to say anything to her, but I would have to say that, if I wasn’t expecting our second right now (6 months pregnant) and was as dry as the desert, I would be content to nurse however long my child wanted. She reluctantly weaned herself at 3.5 years but only because “mommy has no more milk.”
There are way to many stupid people in this world. Some guys will ‘get off’ if a woman walks by in a snowsuit. Breastfeeding isn’t going to do it. I wouldn’t eat in a bathroom stall, why should my child.
Complain in public or in a business setting and you’ll likely be visited by a breastfeeding sit-in group.
That picture…is the perfect example of a “mama bear.” You mess with our kids and you can superimpose that picture over all of us.
Great photo! I’m a new mom who had problems breastfeeding initially but currently I’m going strong for 6 months now. I tend to go to private places when I’m in public mostly because my spirited child is so interested about everything going around him that he refuses to eat if he there is any kind of action going on, such as strangers walking by.
I’ve been curious for a while now- for those who support breastfeeding but are making the complaint about women who breastfeed “anywhere” they want, what are some examples of “anywhere” that are particularly offensive? I really am genuinely curious which places are deemed acceptable and which are not okay in the eyes of others.
Thoroughly enjoyed the photo. I was celebrating a friends birthday with a group of moms in a restaurant when one started nursing her brand new son. She was completely covered up, we wouldn’t have even gotten a peek. She was a pro at modestly feeding in public.
The woman at the nearest table (who would have had to crane her neck to get a better look at the blanket) began making offended noises and giving her dirty looks.
I asked the waitress to bring her a glass of milk, on us.
Whole or fat free? Chocolate?
We didn’t specify, maybe it should have been skim…
That was BRILLIANT! I’m going to make that into a graphic or pic joke. Amaaaaaaazing.
Yes. That would make my day.