# Men's obsession with women's breasts **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 18, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282 "2015-05-18T03:38:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/21 "2015-05-18T15:42:38Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Many of us gay men look at women’s breasts, too. Not obsessively, but we do look. Hell, I’m a straight woman and I like to look at breasts. I really enjoying having them. I assume it’s really fun for men to have penises, too. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/22 "2015-05-18T15:52:52Z")
Why are female peacocks so \*obsessed \*with male peacock’s tails? Why are female sea lions so \*obsessed \*with males with the loudest roar? Breasts are just a secondary sexual characteristic that are correlated with healthy fertile females. The fact that in humans, female breasts are pronounced, is probably somewhat random. But it reinforced itself. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/23 "2015-05-18T17:19:43Z")
My call is forbidden fruit and variety. They come in different sizes and shapes. Areolae come in different sizes and colors. And fashions often emphasize them or at least draw attention to them. So men are expected to look at them but the question is how long are they allowed to look at them before they become “pervie”? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/24 "2015-05-18T17:34:30Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > You could turn it around and ask why most mammals _aren’t_ attracted by breasts. After all, they are an unambiguous symbol that you’re looking at a (post) pubescent female. And their shape / firmness can advertise youth and fitness in a similar way to the butt. > > And the answer probably is, that for most mammals, females are fertile only at particular times. They signal this fertility in various ways, often with scent. And in all cases, males of the species go crazy doolally over such signals. > > But with humans, we have a poor sense of smell, and women are fertile all year round. Those kinds of signals are not appropriate. So instead of that, in our species, one way women signal their fitness and fertility is with oversized mammary glands. This doesn’t work because humans are one of very few mammals in which female breasts are enlarged when the female is not lactating. (They get larger when a human female is lactating, but they are always enlarged compared to most mammals.) In most mammals, thus, enlarged breasts are a sign that the female is nursing and thus _not_ receptive/fertile. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/25 "2015-05-18T17:37:41Z")
> [@tc7231](#): > > I also wondered, why as a man, I had such a strong interest in looking at women’s breasts in print, in person and online. I found it exciting and titillating but addictive. You’re speaking in the past tense. Are you no longer a man, or are you no longer interested? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/26 "2015-05-18T17:38:04Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I assume it’s really fun for men to have penises, too. Often but not always, e.g. the bow pose in yoga. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/27 "2015-05-18T20:52:41Z")
Now we know why women are so obsessed with their own breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/28 "2015-05-18T21:48:58Z")
Men are attracted to women. If something is stereotypically female, then men are likely going to be attracted to it. There’s been a lot of research showing that men tend to be attracted to women who have stereotypically female waist-hip ratios. And men also seem to be attracted to women who have a high leg/torso ratio. Basically, this seems to be the general formula. Feminine = attractive to men. IMO it’s a mistake to try to find something specific about each particular aspect. The same would work in reverse for women’s attraction to men and their features. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/29 "2015-05-18T21:55:28Z")
We have been told that gay men look at breasts too, I wonder whether lesbians are. I don’t accept either the buttocks or the feeding idea since I am not attracted to butts and was not breast fed. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/30 "2015-05-18T22:06:53Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Men are attracted to women. If something is stereotypically female, then men are likely going to be attracted to it. > > There’s been a lot of research showing that men tend to be attracted to women who have stereotypically female waist-hip ratios. And men also seem to be attracted to women who have a high leg/torso ratio. > > Basically, this seems to be the general formula. Feminine = attractive to men. IMO it’s a mistake to try to find something specific about each particular aspect. > > The same would work in reverse for women’s attraction to men and their features. I think this is it, really. (At least for those of us malefolk who are indeed so attracted). If women in general had wings and horns, we’d find wings and horns sexy as hell. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/31 "2015-05-18T23:22:48Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > And men also seem to be attracted to women who have a high leg/torso ratio. Which ratio correlates to the average ratio of teenage girls, interestingly enough. When I did psych101 a long time ago we were shown a test where we were asked to judge the age of a woman from a photo of her legs and torso. Just by subtly altering the photo to increase the leg length very slightly we could be manipulated into guessing she was younger than she was. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/32 "2015-05-19T01:09:08Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Which ratio correlates to the average ratio of teenage girls, interestingly enough. When I did psych101 a long time ago we were shown a test where we were asked to judge the age of a woman from a photo of her legs and torso. Just by subtly altering the photo to increase the leg length very slightly we could be manipulated into guessing she was younger than she was. I didn’t realize there was science behind my appreciation of legs that just keep going up until they make an ass out of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/33 "2015-05-19T01:34:29Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > This, except for the disclaimer about bathing-suit covered crotches. (that was always totally hot). Also, pants-covered crotches. Post-pubescence I’ve found crotches appealing in their own right, but as a young boy it was specifically about seeing up the skirt/dress. Either you’re the exception or I’m the exception, but really I don’t think young boys are fascinated by girls’ crotches. It’s gotta be an upskirt peek in order to be fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/34 "2015-05-19T02:02:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > This doesn’t work because humans are one of very few mammals in which female breasts are enlarged when the female is not lactating. (They get larger when a human female is lactating, but they are always enlarged compared to most mammals.) In most mammals, thus, enlarged breasts are a sign that the female is nursing and thus _not_ receptive/fertile. I think you’ve misunderstood what I was saying. For species that have a discrete on heat period for females, then advertizing that with, say, scent is a much more precise way than just advertizing that you’re a (post) pubescent female (call that PPF). In humans, women are fertile all year round, so an “on heat” signal is meaningless, and you’re just left with advertizing you’re a PPF (as well as advertizing youth, fitness of course). How do you do that, in a species with a poor sense of smell? Well how about enlarging the gland that only females have to make it prominent? (I’m using language as though evolution has a mind just for convenience, obviously I don’t mean that) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/35 "2015-05-19T02:51:39Z")
I’ll take the curve of the ass any day. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/36 "2015-05-19T02:55:26Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I don’t buy the “breastfeeding” hypothesis, because I’m pretty sure that bottle-feed American men like breasts, too. > … I can personally confirm that. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/37 "2015-05-19T03:02:01Z")
I don’t think there’s much of a mystery. Secondary sexual characteristics, such as breasts, indicate fertility. Other mammals don’t seem to be attracted to them because they walk on all fours so breasts aren’t as obvious. Plus, as was already mentioned, most mammalian females aren’t constantly fertile so other signs, such as smell or swelling buttocks, are needed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/38 "2015-05-19T03:33:20Z")
Hello? Paging **tc7231**. . . ::crickets chirping:: ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/39 "2015-05-19T05:26:15Z")
I plead guilty to being obsessed with breasts. As long as I can remember, even before I had any idea what sex was. I’m extremely rational in most other ways, but I consider my fascination with boobs to be proof that humans are just intelligent animals, and that I am not in complete control of my mind. Oh yeah, and the fact that I can overlook almost any flaw (at first) if a girl has great boobs has caused me a lot of grief over the years. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282/40 "2015-05-19T15:43:01Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Post-pubescence I’ve found crotches appealing in their own right, but as a young boy it was specifically about seeing up the skirt/dress. Either you’re the exception or I’m the exception, but really I don’t think young boys are fascinated by girls’ crotches. It’s gotta be an upskirt peek in order to be fascinating. What I remember from circa 2nd/3rd grade was that boys in general were really obsessed with potty functions. Talked about them all the damn time, thought they were hilarious, and part of it (if not the majority of it) was about being “bad”, violating the censorious adult disapproval of dwelling on that subject matter. Boys doing things like letting their pencils fall to the floor to provide an excuse for peeking up skirts / dressed in the process of picking them back up? I thought it was just part of the overall obsession with that general part of the body and its excretory functions. So (not being like that myself) I was a bit appalled to find myself fascinated with girl anatomy. But yeah, girl shapes, crotch shapes, via whatever opportunity the relevant garments provided for getting a visual. Girls in shorts, jeans, girls in their bathing suits or ballet dance leotard-thingies, any of that. Other boys didn’t talk about it (aside from taunting Tracy or Cheryl that they knew what color her underpants were today) so I thought I was quite the pervert. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-obsession-with-womens-breasts/720282.md?page=3)