Every topic that comes up for discussion always has two or more opposing views. One such topic, a very current one, concerns breastfeeding . Is it natural or still taboo? Something "private" or something that can be done openly? We therefore find a clear contrast between those who encourage breastfeeding so that it can be used to its fullest potential, and those who, instead, still censor it. But can we speak of "censorship" for a completely natural practice? Can we do so, especially today in the age of ostentatious nudity , advertisements that use the female body as a slogan, and its objectification? Why do many still see it as taboo? Let's try to understand the reasons for these views and why there are such strong contrasts.
The objectification of the female body
Advertisements, television commercials, and magazines do nothing but "exploit" the female body to promote various products, and so we see seductive, provocative, beautiful, and "servile" bodies posing for brands of cars, perfumes, detergents, clothing, and more. It's as if, through these dealer we almost went back and considered the female figure only from an "image" and aesthetic point of view. An objectification also obsessed with the nude that places the image of the woman and her body at the center in a "decorative" way that keeps it anchored to blatantly sexist stereotypesBut what does "objectify" mean? Can this topic have repercussions at a social level? According to Jeroen Vaes, associate professor at the University of Padua,
“Literally, objectification means turning someone into something, a person into an object. Objectification represents a powerful and potentially very harmful way in which we can view other individuals.”
This process can have a sexual connotation , as is the case with women as objects on television or, more generally, in advertising. However, objectification can potentially occur in any human relationship and is not limited to the area discussed in this article.
The individual as a commodity
If we think about advertisements, we see two scenes: in advertisements of women who endorse products for women or for the family, we see the latter in simple, non-excessive clothing; advertisements of women who endorse men's products have a completely different "design." In other words, objectification reduces the individual to goods, not recognizing his dignity as a subject and dehumanizing himThis way of presenting women, primarily as instruments of seduction, distorts the female figure, devaluing it and fueling a way of thinking that relegates women to the role of seductress, objects of desire. It's as if all those values and ideals for which we continue to fight vanish. Advertising rarely shows women in the authoritative role of competent professionals, guarantors of product quality; more often, they are portrayed as consumers or testimonials of beauty. So why be shocked to see, in public, a woman with her breasts exposed while... breastfeeding?
A taboo that has not yet been overcome
Breastfeeding a newborn is an intimate gesture but at the same time a necessary action that must satisfy a primary needIt is so important that the WHO strongly supports it and also invites pediatricians and midwives to raise awareness among women to breastfeed exclusively at least for the first six months of the child's lifeYet not everyone thinks this way. Not everyone sees it as a natural action, and they're shocked if a woman breastfeeds her baby in public, as if she were violating some kind of protocol. Why associate this action with a negative thought, with discomfort, if the woman's body is then flaunted around for trivial reasons? Why forbid a mother from breastfeeding her baby in a park or at the post office while waiting her turn? Preventing a woman from breastfeeding in public could lead to further psychological turmoil, since we know that, like it or not, the arrival of a child brings changes, and many even face serious crises. postpartumIf you're looked at differently, you might even think you need to isolate yourself, to feel out of place, but that's not what a new mother needs at all. Recent incidents have sparked real media battles, but also public gatherings and debates. University students have been literally kicked out because they were breastfeeding and might offend others, mothers in public places have been stopped before they could do so, and other incidents still. Breastfeeding a baby is a right of every woman but it is also a duty because it is synonymous with survival.
Filomena Oronzo
I graduated in Sociology with a specialization in Social and Territorial Policies, and earned a master's degree in E-Government and E-Management in Public Administration. I love reading and writing. For me, sociology means experiencing everyday life in all its nuances and nuances. Today, I am an Administrative Assistant at the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo in Trieste, and above all, I am a wife and mother, the greatest asset of all.
