We subjected ourselves to a local symphony concert again last night. The music is always good, but the people-watching is better, since we have such a collection of screwballs in this state. When I say “subjected”, I’m usually referring to the morons who clap between every movement (understandable for Falla, but Mozart? C’mon.), and the winos breathing fumes on you throughout.
But last night was a corker. We’re standing at our seats during the intermission and watching people coming back in. Down the aisle comes this hugely pregnant woman. I’m talking a belly that could derail planets from their orbits. I glanced at her stomach (how could I not) and thought “I know I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing. That must be some sort of elastic skin-colored material attached to her very tight maternity top.”
But no! She’s walking down the aisle with her top pulled up under her boobs and her stomach hanging out for all to enjoy. Huge, engorged with spawn, navel distorted, flushed pink and gross. Now, I’ve gotten somewhat used to seeing women nursing in public. Some are more discreet than others, some just flop a tit out without any apparent regard for sensibilities (once was at a political fundraiser, when the woman never even broke conversation with the group while exposing herself).
But this was over the top (ha!). I was without speach. Yes, dear, we all know how proud you and your SO are to have reproduced. It’s truly a miracle, even though it happens a million times a day among every species on earth. And I’m sure your particular bundle of joy will be a genius of the first order, especially since you have now exposed it to Mozart and Beethoven. On second thought, after looking at the hairline on your guy, the kid will be lucky to stay in school past grade four. At any rate, none of us care to see your belly or your yawning chasm of a navel or your asshole or your big toe or your colostomy bag. It’s just way T fucking M I.
Now, I’m sure that those who fawn over every aspect of pregnancy and child-rearing like it’s some sort of holy ritual will take issue with my little diatribe. So fire away; but it ain’t going to change my opinion.
Well you were a tad more florid than I’ve ever been, but I do agree that there’s a time and a place for wearing crop tops (with or without a pregnant belly to bulge out) and the symphony isn’t it.
Though the lady walking through the local supermarket with a croptop and a miniskirt while 8 months+ pregnant did look verry odd.
So Hal, it would have been appropriate for a non pregnant woman to walk around in a belly shirt at the symphony?
My answer to the above would be: no, of course it wouldn’t. Pregnant or not, the symphony ain’t the place to show your gut off. Part of me thinks this “yay pregnancy!” turn our society is taking is fantastic- more materinity clothes that are actually stylish, women who finally know that you can be sexy while pregnant, etc. But damnit, I am really over walking through the mall and seeing endless pregnant bellies fully exposed. Pregnant or not, it’s rarely appropriate to walk around with your gut showing.
I don’t think it’s that Chefguy was looking at skin, per se. I think it’s a time-and-place issue. This woman’s belly was exposed in a place and at a time when most people are getting dressed up a little more than they normally would; i.e. at a symphony concert.
Seeing someone’s bare abdomen is fine at the beach, just not at a concert.
That’s a pretty good analogy, IMO. I rarely want to see someone’s beer-gut, and “pregnant women are beautiful” or not it’s about as attractive to see either bulging out from the bottom of a shirt.
I totally do not understand why baring your stretch marks to the world is considered something to be proud of. Or your belly seam – I’ve never seen a pregnant woman who doesn’t have that seam running straight down the middle of her belly. Belly-hugging clothes, fine; but showing off all the charming results of spawning? I don’t think so.
Apparently common sense is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. I’m glad that pregnant women no longer are consigned to the endless succession of frills and bows that were all that was available in maternity wear when I was first pregnant. But there’s still definitely a time and a place for everything. And baring your belly at the symphony just doesn’t work in any polite company I’ve ever been in.
Yeah, people wear pretty much anything. There’s one guy I’ve mentioned before who wears a Harley sweatshirt and sweatpants held up with suspenders. But he doesn’t come in with his dick hanging out.
Dude, if according to your view a guy with a harley shirt and suspendered sweats is attired more “appropriately” than a preggers chick in a tube top, then I’d say you’re letting your personal icks and prejudices show a little here.
You know Chefguy, the more I simmer over this, the more elitist and misogynist you smell to me.
If your local symphony orchestra is actually bringing in dudes in harley shirts and chicks in tube tops–knocked up or un–more fucking power to them. That’s spectacular! No symphony orchestra on the planet would NOT see that as a huge success! If I were involved with this orchestra, and I saw an audience of types other than be-formalled WASPs, I’d have an orgasm. So there’s the elitism I smell coming off you.
And if your issue is NOT one of class–if the harley shirt and sweats is OK And suspenders are WAY lower-class than a belt, unless they have little whales on them. Did they have little whales on them?), but a pregnant woman NOT attired in floorlength black is not, then there’s some pretty explicit misogyny there dude.
I roll my eyes just as violently as the next person whenever my friend’s sister, the crystal and labrys, Ramtha disciple, non-bathing exstremist goes on and on about the fertility earth mother goddess inside every womyn, but dude I think you have some freudian digging to do.
They do. But a band aid is usually good enough to keep them from rubbing against the inside of a blouse, at least until you get home from the symphony.
I wear jeans and a pullover to the symphony. I do not, however, wear a cutoff tank-top that exposes my portly belly, cuz that would be, you know, in poor taste.
Did we learn a new word today, dear? I don’t give a rat’s ass what people wear. I do have a bit of a problem with attention whores, which is what I see this as being an issue of.
I can only find this as an example, but British pop singer Melanie Blatt did a series of pregnant belly photos - in fact, she started the trend, that continued with several other knocked-up UK pop chickies - and I thought she looked sweet.
