# Breast-feeding and Homesexuality. Grow Up! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 22, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648 "2003-11-22T08:00:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/21 "2003-11-22T20:04:12Z")
Welcome, OP. You’ll probably be banned soon but it’s good to see someone who refuses to be cowed. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/22 "2003-11-22T20:25:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \* > \*\*Welcome, OP. You’ll probably be banned soon but it’s good to see someone who refuses to be cowed. \*\* Yeah, it’s that darn liberal agenda to ban all of the backward er I mean right thinking conservatives. How you guys face each and every day in the face of adversity like that is an inspiration to us all. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/23 "2003-11-22T20:41:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \* > \*\*it’s good to see someone who refuses to be cowed. \*\* Indeed. Just like the woman who was asked to feed her baby in the bathroom refused to be cowed. Just like the homosexuals who are being kept from equal treatment under the law are refusing to be cowed. Oh, you meant it’s only noble when someone is standing up for what you agree with against something you disagree with? Well, where’s the fun in that? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/24 "2003-11-22T20:44:17Z")
The argumente in the OP assume that there is some universal standard of disgust and that it should supercede the will of the people, i.e. the law. Sorry, women breastfeeding their children doesn’t disgust me. As for the rest, I will now desist from troll feeding, by breast or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/25 "2003-11-22T21:53:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\*In our society, a lot of people were raised to feel that purposely causes public nudity, even if it’s brief and non sexual, is improper. Or, they raised to feel uncomfortable about it. > Actually, the word I should use is Ingrained. \*\* A lot of people were breast-fed too. Oh, how they forget. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\* These people have these feelings of improperness or uncomfortableness ingrained into them, and changing their feelings on the subject will be very difficult for them, if they change their minds at all. \*\* Breast-feeding is natural and important. Education on the naturalness and importance of breast-feeding is important. Coddling small-minded, ignorant people is not. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > **And telling them to just get over it because it’s just a breast, is as easy as telling an arresting officer of a flasher to just get over it because, after all, it’s just a penis.** You’re equating a woman feeding her baby with criminal behavior? Nice. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\* Now, our society is changing, and more and more people find public breast-feeding acceptable. Yes, the notion that this is indecent is slowly going away, but there are, at the moment, plenty of people who genuinely believe this to be the case, and to tell them to laugh at them, call them uptight, and tell them to get over it, seems a bit inconsiderate in my opinion. \*\* Telling a woman she has to feed her kid in the _bathroom_ is far more inconsiderate. Why is no one who stands up for the offended’s feelings paying any attention to the feelings of this woman who was only doing what was natural? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\* Yes, it’s fine to try and change society if you see something you think is wrong with it, but to me, just calling someone a prude and telling them to get over it, instead of giving logical arguments isn’t the way to do it. \*\* Why not? That breast-feeding is normal, natural and healthy should be a common-sense notion to everybody. The very idea that breast-feeding in an EATING ESTABLISHMENT should be offensive to someone is ridiculous. If someone’s being a “prude” they should be called on it. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\*Also, there are a lot of guys who are uncomfortable in situations like this because, even though we’re hardwired to notice breasts, there have been plenty that have grown up feeling dirty if they do. Even if they notice something, look see that it’s a woman is breast-feeding her baby, and then quickly look away again, they have a feeling of embarrassment. And some hope that nobody noticed them noticing, because then there’s the fear that others around might be judging them as pigs or perverts. As silly and ridiculous as this seems, there are guys with this fear. Also, there are plenty of people, usually women, who give guys a hard time for noticing anything of a sexual nature (and for most guys, breasts themselves constitute a sexual nature, even if they’re not being used in a sexual way) which doesn’t help alleviate their fears any. \*\* But that’s their problem, they have to work that out, not the women who want to feed their children in public. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\* > And finally, as for the woman at BK, did any of you ever try to see it from Burger King’s staff and management side of things? \*\* Burger King has instituted a new policy that will take care of this. [Burger King Adopts Breast-Feeding Policy](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031122/ap_on_bi_ge/breast_feeding_1) > [@](#): > > The new policy says Burger King welcomes mothers who wish to breast-feed their children. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\* In this case, it was a reasonable request that the woman feed elsewhere. And seriously, how fragile can she be that this causes her great emanational distress? Yeah, “Uhm mam, could please do that in the bathroom? Some of the other customers are feeling uncomfortable” is a real cruel and hurtful thing to say. \*\* It is. Would YOU want to eat in a Burger King bathroom because someone didn’t like the way you looked? Would you want to eat in a bathroom, any bathroom, for any reason? As far as the rest of your OP, refer to any of **lissener’s** posts, because I agree with him 100%. ---
**Author:** ![WaryEri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ea666f/32.png) [@WaryEri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WaryEri)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/26 "2003-11-22T22:36:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fushj00mang \* > \*\* > (snip) > 10: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. > > Eh…doesn’t apply. \*\* Why’d you only go to 10? How about lovely little 14? _Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property,without due process of law;_\* nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.\*\* \* ---
**Author:** ![DeaganTheWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DeaganTheWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeaganTheWolf)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/27 "2003-11-22T23:29:28Z")
\ Y’know, there are those of us out there, who don’t particularily wish to bask in the glow of the wonder that is breast-feeding. The best accomodation i’ve seen is a soft sarong-like like garment which keeps baby wrapped up nice and close to mom while allowing baby access to the breast. It also has the added benefit of keeping everything out of sight unless you want to get REALLY close. From what i’m given to understand, they are both comfortable and inexpensive. I’ve seen a lot of these on new mothers here in florida and I must say that it’s made breastfeeding more comfortable for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/28 "2003-11-23T00:38:48Z")
Hey if a man can expose his tits in public, a woman should be able to do the same. ---
**Author:** ![fushj00mang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@fushj00mang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fushj00mang)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/29 "2003-11-23T00:41:02Z")
WaryEri, Because I assumed that the 14th Ammendment was assumed to be known by all. I haven’t ever heard of gays being refused soverign franchise simply for being gay. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/30 "2003-11-23T01:59:22Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by L11CFR \* > \*\* Society is a wonderful mix of all types. Blacks, whites, gays, straights, boys, girls, tall people, small people, thin people, fat people, smart people and those like you._\* I agree, **L11CFR.** You’ve hit the nail on the head. Variety is the spice of life, IMO. \*\* > [@](#): > > Because until you realise that the world is a big bad scary place and not everyone is going to agree with you, your lifestyle, your choice of clothes, your partner or your right to breastfeed in Burger King its going to be a rough ride for you. But if you can learn to be big enough to accept that others may have a different opinion - then we can work at moving forward together.\*\* I agree again. **L11CFR,** you are an extraordinarily insightful poster 🙂_Of course_ not everyone is going to agree on everything, it’s so obvious. \*\* > [@](#): > > Society works by people being different - living and let living. \*\* I agree again. **L11CFR** you really are truly aware of the world and how people are a delightful hodge-podge of differences, guaranteed to conflict at some point. Are you a academic specialising in societal studies, by any chance ? And because we all think differently, there’s no way of keeping everyone happy. So best thing to do is be considerate, and enjoy your own life, yes ? So feel free to breastfeed in public, mothers. You can’t make everyone happy, so you may as well do what’s best for yourself, your child and society in general. Agree that people have a right to hold different opinions, then happily adjust your clothing slightly and continue nourishing your child and living your lives. And feel free to hold hands, kiss in public, and seek the same access to legally recognised partnerships, homosexuals. Agree that people have the right to hold different opinions, then continue in living your lives to the fullest, since you can’t make everyone happy. I agree 100% with the OP. People can find whatever actions they like ‘uncomfortable’ or ‘icky’. I do not want to live in a world where people can’t have their own thoughts. They can even express them, freely. They just can’t make others conform to their views, if the actions are not endangering anyone, just because of their opinion. Think breastfeeding is gross or perfectly natural and appropriate public behaviour? Either thought is fine. State your views if you wish, you’re entitled to your opinions. And then continue to carry on in a tolerant manner. Don’t like public breastfeeding ? Look elsewhere, nobody is forcing you to observe it. Think breastfeeding is natural and appropriate public behaviour ? Breastfeed in public all you like, but in the spirit of the OP, _do not force those who don’t like it, to watch it._ Please cease taping their eyelids open and tying their heads near to your breastfeeding child, as those of the public who don’t wish to see it, should be free to turn their head, or move their eyes. :rolleyes: So go ahead and proclaim how much you think breastfeeding is gross. State your views on the ‘ickiness’ of same sex couples. Everyone can have their own thoughts and opinions. Just don’t expect your opinion to warrant the changing of someone elses actions, simply because you hold that opinion. Realise that the world is full of people with different opinions from you, and that you’ll just have to learn to accept that lots of people have no problem with things that you have problems with. ---
**Author:** ![patchbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dc4da7/32.png) [@patchbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/patchbunny)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/31 "2003-11-23T02:19:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CairaJade \* > **Furthermore, why the hell shouldn’t someone _feed_ their baby in an eatery?!** “Waiter, I’ll have what the baby is having.” 😉 –Patch ---
**Author:** ![DeaganTheWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DeaganTheWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeaganTheWolf)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/32 "2003-11-23T02:40:35Z")
\ Heh! PatchBunny, you owe me a new keyboard. lol ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/33 "2003-11-23T03:14:10Z")
That one took stones **L11CFR**. Bravo! Well Told! Welcome to the Boards, sorry to see you go. 😉 It’s the only win-win argument made for either issue, I’ve seen thusfar. Patch, THAT was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/34 "2003-11-23T03:33:29Z")
Equipoise, earlier I quoted your post where you took what I said and answered it point by point and then I answered each of your points, with points of my own. I also cut and pasted my points that you answered, since a quote in a quote doesn’t show up when you hit the quote button. At any rate, this took a long time to do and made for a pretty lengthy post as you can imagine. I hit reply, and after a few minutes of waiting, I got the dreaded Page Can’t Be Displayed error. My message never posted. I’m not in the mood to re-answer you point by point again, so I’ll give you a summery. All I’m trying to say, is that, while I believe that people who are against public breast-feeding should have their minds changed, I don’t think being harsh to them is the way to do it. They aren’t bad people and their beliefs aren’t bad, just misguided. In my opinion, you should first try to use logic and reason with them, and if that doesn’t work, then write them off as hopeless. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/35 "2003-11-23T03:36:14Z")
The only thing I want to know is if “homesexuality” is the opposite of that damn “metrosexuality” thing. ---
**Author:** ![CairaJade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@CairaJade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairaJade)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/36 "2003-11-23T04:01:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes - I can be a repressed twit - but it doesn’t mean I have to. However that seems to have been lost on you. I’m sorry about that - I figured it might have been insulting to the other fine minds on the board to be too blatent. Ho Hum Seems to be lost on you too, since you’re doing the exact opposite of what you are preaching. [sarcasm] Oh, your defensive tactics of insults, yadda yaddas, and name-calling are _great_ ways to get your point across. Keep up the excellent work. [/sarcasm] ---
**Author:** ![Survivor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@Survivor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survivor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/37 "2003-11-23T05:05:03Z")
I have to admit that I think “homesexuality” should be banned too… I’m sick to death of those home-sexuals trying to force us to convert… You wanna have sex in your home, that’s YOUR business… Why tell the world about it? Next thing you know, the condo-sexuals are going to want rights too! ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/38 "2003-11-23T06:24:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Equipoise \* > **You’re equating a woman feeding her baby with criminal behavior? Nice.** Hint: The only reason exposing one’s penis is “criminal behavior” is because there’s a law against it. Exposing female breasts is also “criminal behavior” - though most jurisdictions make an exception if 1) a person is sucking on them, and 2) that person is small. Now, I agree with the “get over it” crowd. No one ever died from seeing a quick flash of nipple. I just think they should realize that “get over it” applies to nudity in general, not just breast feeding. If you argue that breast feeding should be an _exception_ to laws against indecent exposure, then you’re admitting prudes are generally right to ban things that make them uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Soup\_du\_jour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Soup\_du\_jour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup_du_jour)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/39 "2003-11-23T07:43:36Z")
In my opinion, all other things being equal, people should, in general, take courses of action that minimize the uncomfortableness of others. In addition, all other things being equal, people should, in general, recognize that they may have different standards of decency that others and not be offended by what they may deem objectionable. In short, people need to be a bit more considerate of others. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-and-homesexuality-grow-up/214648/40 "2003-11-23T07:50:26Z")
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