I believe the involuntary flash of a mother breastfeeding a child to be deep
inside more unsettling than the vision of any purposeful non-motherly
feminine chest-baring, in that it bluntly reminds us of our primarily
belonging to the animal reign as a mammalian species, despite the
millenaries-old drive to emerge as Humans.
Whereas body "eroticisation", be it as elementary as pornography (literally
"pictured prostitute") follows given historically/geographically seduction
codes, involving as such ritual elaboration, that is, eventually, Culture,
Mankind; displaying breastfeeding, child-delivering, perhaps even unclad
pregnancy on the other side mercilessly nails us down to Nature back: this
cursed animal side of ours we cannot shed, try as we may. Hence the
obscenity, the indecency (showing the unacceptable, the scandalous, the
dirty little secret of our animal anchorage...)
We all have been, at least virtually, this red little snout ravenously
suckling this woman's nipple, and I am not sure our grown-up "civilised"
human identity is all that comfortable with that bound pet spell in infant
life.
Yet "public" breastfeeding did, does and will happen now and then,
"dismaying" as it may be, but also inspiring painters, sculptors, poets and
songwriters at times, and I cannot think of a reason why we should turn each
of our inner fears into a social taboo. So let us face it...or look away.
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