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It is Week # 3 of Breast Cancer Awareness month and today we’re going to talk about breasts. (Surprise!) Specifically about topless women and exposed breasts.

As long as there has been art there have been pictures drawn of women and their breasts.
This picture was painted on limestone in ancient Egypt around 1200 BC.

During the Renaissance a woman’s exposed breasts were considered acceptable, but exposed ankles were taboo.  Artists were not only known for painting women with exposed breasts, but aristocrats would commission artists to paint their portraits with their breasts exposed.

This is believed to be a picture of aristocratic noblewoman Simonnetta Vespucci who died at the age of 23. Painted by Piero di Cosimo 14 years after her death and is believed to be the inspiration for Sandro Botticelli’s famous Birth of Venus.

My point is that exposed breasts have been memorialized for… ever… So why is it now such a taboo for a woman to have exposed breasts?

Although exposed breasts are normal in many indigenous societies, most cultures (including ours) have dress codes, laws, or religious teachings that require females to cover their breasts in public – at least from adolescence on. We allow, or even encourage, public displays of cleavage, but the exposing of a woman’s areola or nipple is what is considered “lewd” or “indecent.” It is, however, socially acceptable for guys to go topless in public and expose their entire chests, nipples and all.

I asked a friend and self-proclaimed “lover of breasts” what it was about breasts, specifically, that he loved most. Was it their size, their texture, their shape? For him it was the nipple. Oh sure, he loved everything about a woman’s breast, but the nipple is what really drew him in. Makes sense. A woman’s breasts are sensual and erotic. The nipple is the responsive part of a woman’s breast and responds to cold as well as other stimuli. What’s not to love?

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What I don’t understand, in my child-like naivety, is why a woman’s breasts have been sexualized and a man’s breasts have not. Men have nipples. Men’s nipples are sensual and erotic. So why the social distinction? Why isn’t this considered to be gender discrimination? If the only thing determining whether or not an exposed breast is legal is our plumbing, where does Caitlin Jenner fit in?

There are actually laws in our country that prohibit women from exposing their breasts. Think about it: with everything bad that has gone on, or is currently going on in the world, law makers have gotten together to discuss at length the legality of a woman’s breast.

August 23^rd is “Go Topless Day” and on August 23^rd of this year a bunch of women in New Hampshire, inspired by the “Free the Nipple” movement vowed to go topless at a beach. Well, it rained that day and only a couple of dozen women showed up bare chested to support the cause, but the event caught the eyes and ears of the state Senator and other politicians.  One politician was against the movement because he wanted the beach to remain a “family” beach.  What is more “family” oriented than a woman’s breasts? They attract men, swell when pregnant, and produce milk to feed babies – sounds like a family to me. But unless they are actively producing milk and have a baby attached to the end they’re criminalized.

In Fort Collins, Colorado, right now, there is an initiative pending regarding exposed breasts. The two choices are to: 1) consider a woman’s exposed breasts indecent unless she’s breastfeeding; or 2) allow a woman to have exposed breasts in public (Nod to Eugene, Oregon where it’s already allowed). I’m curious to see how that shakes out.

There are studies that show that women who have gone topless were more accepting of toplessness in general, more sexual, had higher self-esteem, and a higher body image.  Isn’t that what we want? More acceptance, more tolerance, more love, and to feel good about ourselves and others?

Breasts should not be illegal.  They should be seen as the nurturing, natural, and (yes) sexual body part that they are – just like they are on a man. The only time breasts should be criminalized is when they betray us and develop cancer, and then only they should suffer the punishment.

I love input, so please feel free to leave me a comment below or find me on Facebook (Melissa Gale) and connect with me there. Oh, and sign up to follow me. It’s easy and you won’t miss a post!

Breasts. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and everyone is fascinated by them. Ok, maybe not everyone individually, but babies love them, men love them, women are obsessed by them, and society tells us that we should all want perfect ones.  So my post this week (week #2 of Breast Cancer Awareness Month) is about the fascination surrounding women’s breasts.

What is it about women’s breasts that is so captivating? Why aren’t we as fascinated by men’s breasts? I mean, there’s definitely something magical about a man’s chest (5 Reasons a Man’s Chest is Magical), but that’s his chest and not his breasts.

Men

Full round breasts are a symbol of fertility. It’s been depicted in art for ages. In fact, paintings during the renaissance period portray desirable women with round and curvy hips and breasts. Breasts are made of fatty tissue.  Fuller breasts used to indicate a strong constitution and a suitable breeding partner. Today we no longer need that instinct, especially with all the enhancements and obsession with thin, but it still exists and plays its part in attraction.

When we comfort a child we cradle them to our chests to soothe them. As infants we feed them from our breasts. When we embrace others to console or reassure them we pull them into our chests.  In such a hard edgy world, breasts are soft and welcoming. A true source of comfort.

Women

Breast augmentation is at the top of the list when it comes to elective cosmetic procedures (I’m not counting the breast reconstructions of those who have endured mastectomies). We, as women, are so hard on ourselves about a body part we can’t really change on our own. If we want a flatter stomach we do ab exercises. If we want more toned legs and butt, we do squats and lunges.  But our breasts are just our breasts. It’s like trying to find an exercise that will change your eye color.

I have small breasts. None of the guys I’ve dated have ever made me feel less attractive or less of a woman because of my breast size. And there are perks to both sides of the breast-size coin. Heads: Women with larger breasts often complain about back pain, shoulder pain, and neck pain. They grumble about not being able to find the right bra, or not being able to effortlessly wear some of the stuff I can get away with (i.e. a backless dress).  Tails: There’s something to be said for eye catching cleavage done right.  Women with confidence and cleavage have a natural way of getting what they want.

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Society:

Ta-tas, knockers, fun bags… breasts have more nicknames than you can count. Breasts are featured prominently in sexy photos, magazines, bared in movies, songs are written and recorded about them, and in certain types of establishments you can view them on a stage with sparkles.  We’re taught from a young age that they’re desirable. We should love them, gasp when they’re revealed (but only on women, men’s breasts are acceptable), and cover them in polite society.

Society teaches us that breasts should be viewed primarily as sexual body parts and shuns nursing mothers who breastfeed their babies in public. A breastfeeding woman is doing what nature designed her to do. Why would that be “dirty” or “shocking?” Definitely a perception worth changing.

Breasts are powerful. Our fascination with breasts is wide-spread and affects everyone from babies to grown-ups.  We admire them, obsess about them, and flaunt them.  Imperfect, natural, or “enhanced” the breast is a many-splendored thing. Oh, and my favorite song about breasts? Probably “Squeeze Box” by The Who. (Hint: It’s not about an accordion).

I love input, so please feel free to leave me a comment below or find me on Facebook (Melissa Gale) and connect with me there. Oh, and sign up to follow me. It’s easy and you won’t miss a post!

October.  To me October means the true beginning of Autumn. The leaves change, the light changes, the shadows are sharper and give the afternoon shadows a surreal quality.  It’s the month of my birth, the month the trees turn the color of fire, the month of football, and also the month of breast cancer awareness.

When talking about what to write this week my husband said, “How about breasts? You write about things like that.  You could do a whole month dedicated to breasts and breast cancer awareness. And hey, everyone loves breasts.”

Great idea! Last week I had fun with football so this week I think I’ll go more serious with football and talk about breast cancer, those who fight it, those who’ve fought it, and those who will.

Those who have.

I only know 2 breast cancer survivors, and as different as these two ladies are, they have traits that I believe are typical of many. Breast cancer survivors are strong. They share a bond that transcends a normal friendship. They know they don’t have to say anything to say everything. They hug, they love, they support each other, and they’re always willing to share their experience.

Those who do.

There are countless women out there who, right now, are in various stages of diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and survivor-ness (that’s right, I’m a writer, I can make up words) from breast cancer. They are undergoing surgeries to remove their traitorous breasts, and eduring radiation and chemotherapy to kill and eradicate the cancer cells.  The side effects of the medication to treat cancer are often terrible, painful, and sometimes cause other kinds of cancer. (Both of the women-warriors I know had to have a full hysterectomy because the breast cancer medication causes uterine cancer).

Years ago one of my daughter’s friend’s dad’s girlfriend (go ahead, take a minute to get there…) was diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. The dad had two kids and the girlfriend had two kids too – quick math says that’s four kids and a man who are down a caretaker. My husband and I made dinners once a week and delivered it to them. My thought was if we can just lessen the stress a little bit, if we can give just a little bit of good, that’s what I want to do. As a woman I can only imagine how emotionally difficult it would be to be too tired, or sick, or in too much pain to care for your family.

Those who will.
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If you’re a girl chances are you either will develop breast cancer, especially if it runs in your family, or you know someone who has, or will, develop breast cancer.  I’m thankful that breast cancer doesn’t run in my family, but that’s still no guarantee. Breast cancer can develop in anyone, at any age, regardless of family history.

Early detection is key. That’s in everything I read. Self-exams are the best way to detect early.  Self-exams should be done monthly.  If you don’t want to do these yourself, find someone who does. I’d wager that your boyfriend/husband/lover would be more than willing to help out.

Because dense breasts run in my family I had a baseline mammogram done when I was 40. It was as terrible as everything you’ve heard. I was pretty sure they reached around to my spine, pulled that skin to my chest, and then smashed it – and my breast, to the point I was actually alarmed and thought my skin was going to split and my breast was going to rupture.

This year I’m doing thermal imaging.

I love that that the NFL wears pink to promote breast cancer awareness.  Oh sure, there’s tons of critics out there who talk about how much money, exactly, goes to cancer research, or whether or not you’d have heard about breast cancer if it wasn’t for the NFL.  My thoughts? Any way to raise awareness is a good thing.  We were watching the Seahawks game on Monday (Seahawks – 13, Detroit – 10) and my boys asked me about the pink the players were wearing.  I was able to educate my children and have an open discussion about breast cancer because they saw the players wearing pink.

We talked about what breast cancer is, who gets it (yes, guys too, but that’s waaaaaay less common), is it curable, what can you do to treat it, and also how it affects whole families, not just the person with the disease. We talked about the strength it takes to fight the disease, the strength it takes others to support those who are suffering, and the strength of women.

The Seahawks have the Legion of Boom. They are fierce, they are driven, they are unrelenting, and they are unyielding.  What do we, as women, have? We have the ferocity of love, we have the passion to fight, we have the unrelenting compassion to lift up those who are in need, we are unyielding.  We are the Legion of Boobs.

I love input, so please feel free to leave me a comment below or find me on Facebook (Melissa Gale) and connect with me there. Oh, and sign up to follow me. It’s easy and you won’t miss a post!