tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post286664756841682734..comments2023-11-28T04:49:21.046-06:00Comments on We Are THAT Family: Boob AlertKristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02608199440254905212noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-62085886962091583832010-05-13T20:58:05.118-05:002010-05-13T20:58:05.118-05:00Wow .. I read through most of the comments and agr...Wow .. I read through most of the comments and agree with what Andrea and Eos mom said. :-)<br /><br />I BF my kids and gladly did so in public (discretely) .. but my hubs would NOT watch it, nor would we have our sons watch. Yes, they are intended to nourish our children .. but that is not their only function .. God made us with curves and soft places to be beautiful ... to man - they can definitely be sexual in a man's mind. YES a man fully knows their purpose of feeding .. but it is still a natural visual thing for them at times, IMO.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10016587694215979714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-47353015789387824072010-05-13T16:22:32.989-05:002010-05-13T16:22:32.989-05:00I haven't had time to read all the comments, b...I haven't had time to read all the comments, but wanted to agree with what Choose Love said. It drives me absolutely bananas that our culture has so sexualized breasts, that women are seen as weird for using them in the way God intended. (True story: one woman in my LLL group said her husband didn't want her to nurse, because he thought it was kind of sick. Now, that's really sad.) So, I would be VERY likely to take my sons to see a movie that showed breasts in a non-sexual context. That is the way I want to encourage them to see these. I don't want them to see them the way our culture does. I think other cultures have much healthier views of the fact that bodies are not always sexual. If you disagree with that, think about this: Do you really want your children growing up thinking that the only way to view their body is in a sexual context? How can a woman be comfortable nursing, if her only idea of breasts is sexual? How can a man be comfortable with the idea of his wife nursing their child, if he has been raised to think that any exposure at all of breasts is an invitation to sexual thoughts, and that breasts are inherently, and solely, sexual in their function? (I knew another woman in my LLL group, who said her husband had asked her to never nurse in public. Seriously, he wanted her to just...not nurse. Until she got the baby home.)<br /> I just read further down, and would like to respectfully disagree with Megan @ Little Bella Bean. I think the best guard against pornography, is to give our sons a healthy view of the human body and sexuality at a young age. If you teach them now that breasts are for nursing, and they grow up thinking that is normal, it will not cause them to have impure thoughts at 12 when they see a woman nursing her child in public. They won't be bothered. Contrarily, if you just never allow them to see any images at all, it becomes something forbidden and enticing, more likely to cause trouble and difficulty for them in the long run. And if they are curious, and you're not providing answers in the form of "breasts are non-sexual material", they're not going to find that sort of thing when they go looking. Them searching it out on their own scares me. Me taking them to a movie where breastfeeding is shown as normal and non-sexual? Not so much. (Take my opinions with a grain of salt, since my sons are currently 5 and 2. It's an untested opinion, but makes sense to me. I should also say, that I know nothing about this movie except what I've read here.)Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01381906944928170359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-90632038143163198562010-05-12T07:21:26.033-05:002010-05-12T07:21:26.033-05:00I'm surprised you didn't know about it ahe...I'm surprised you didn't know about it ahead of time. I read a review in the paper that clearly stated what was in the movie. I have since seen this written in several reviews I have read.<br /><br />I honestly don't know if I would take my children to it. The only reason I would be open to seeing it is that the reviews I have read have been positive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-66919534566195286602010-05-11T21:44:29.443-05:002010-05-11T21:44:29.443-05:00Wow, I am so not okay with it being rated PG.
I...Wow, I am so not okay with it being rated PG. <br /><br />I realize that we should not read sexuality into everything and culturally it may be acceptable, but the other day I was listening to a podcast about the effects of pornography and was shocked to hear a clinical psychologist talk about the 7 year old GIRL who he had been helping who was addicted to hard porn. A 7 YEAR OLD GIRL! I was devastated for her. <br /><br />Our minds and bodies are hard wired to have a response to sexual stimuli and it is not respective of age or sex. <br /><br />Maybe it may not be anything for us to see a boob used in its proper form but what if it sparks curiosity in a 7 years old child and they search out another glimpse and find inappropriate images that hook them in and drag them down.<br /><br />I write this not completely unaware as my husband was shown pornography at the age of 11 and has had a 20 year battle with it. You can think that it is just some pervert's problem, but you underestimate the power of addiction. <br /><br />It is like any drug, there is a chemical rush in your brain that hooks you in.. Sorry maybe this answer is too deep, but the over sexualization of children is making me sick. <br /><br />I think it is proper to make sure our children understand boundaries and that they love themselves and their bodies and are not ashamed of them, but we must also teach modesty. <br /><br />Nonchalantly showing them what in our cultures is mostly a sexual object scares me a bit. <br /><br />I am not trying to be a prude, just realistic about the control our brain chemistry has over us, the curiosity of children, the overwhelming availability of pornographic images and material and the millions of technological devices that can be used anywhere or anytime without our knowledge.<br /><br />My very long two cents. <br /><br />and Thanks for the warning!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-52612803291293113442010-05-11T18:02:19.595-05:002010-05-11T18:02:19.595-05:00It would have bothered me for my son AND my husban...It would have bothered me for my son AND my husband. Even though it was non sexual in nature I don't want his mind filled with images of anyone's boobs but mine!Traceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12061035774509241772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-30176611812492457042010-05-11T16:37:09.214-05:002010-05-11T16:37:09.214-05:00I am so excited to see this movie! It's good ...I am so excited to see this movie! It's good to know about the breasts, if only for a little pre-discussion. Like many of the above commenters, I am annoyed with the sexualization of breasts. How dare you breastfeed in the mall, but check out my boobs in this larger than life Victoria's Secret display. My dad lived in Hong Kong and told me that although the women were EXTREMELY modest, it was completely acceptable to breastfeed in public even though someone might (gasp!) occasionally glimpse your breast. Breasts on display all the time is different than breasts out in the open all the time though -- I like the comparison above to other cultures covering their heads/arms, etc. Remember, showing ankles or anything above used to be SCANDALOUS even in these United States.Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-30372405669591341232010-05-11T16:02:56.403-05:002010-05-11T16:02:56.403-05:00I would have probably left the theater, honestly. ...I would have probably left the theater, honestly. While I breastfed all 3 of my children and don't mind if other moms do, I totally think it is still a private thing. I wouldn't want some mom to just take off her shirt at Target and start feeding, ya know. Even though the exposure wasn't "sexual" (I haven't seen it) I still wouldn't want my husband to see other boobs, but that's just me.Brandihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312594053741362073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-14711495344310051822010-05-11T15:57:02.867-05:002010-05-11T15:57:02.867-05:00I think that it's okay to take into considerat...I think that it's okay to take into consideration the fact that boys - children- are just learning to navigate the world, and culture. And they are *just* processing that our culture is not the same as other cultures and working through the differences - in a teen boy way, which is to say, with jokes about bodily functions (or are those just mine?)<br /><br />Maybe the film should be rated NG instead of PG (for National Geographic - I think anyone who's gotten the big yellow mag would know what a NG rating featuring African mothers would entail!)Milehimama @ Mama Sayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04755353355022539817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-38278426781282537182010-05-11T15:11:36.681-05:002010-05-11T15:11:36.681-05:00Has anyone who is against their hubby or young boy...Has anyone who is against their hubby or young boys seeing this movie actually seen the boobs of people in these cultures? I have been to a place where this is the norm, and let me tell you, they are not attractive breasts. They are generally very long (for lack of a better word)and hang down to the waist from years of no bras. I totally get modesty and the "men are visual" part of our culture, but I have a hard time believing that these breasts would cause many men to stumble...because the men are visual and the breasts are not sexy AT ALL. Just a thought...lizbakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04773939833460220251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-5631505913200958402010-05-11T13:55:05.010-05:002010-05-11T13:55:05.010-05:00I really want to see this, and I appreciate the ho...I really want to see this, and I appreciate the honest reflection. As the mother of 3 daughters, it is a different reality for me. My youngest is 11 weeks old and I breastfeed pretty freely around our house. In public is a whole other thing... I respect that other women feel no qualms about whipping their boob out in public, but I prefer mine to be seen by my baby or my husband and that's about it (maybe occasionally a doctor). I don't think I'd have a problem w/my daughters seeing the movie, and maybe not sons either... it isn't that much different than flipping through my parents' national geographic magazines when I was a kid....<br />just my thoughts =)Biteofpunkinpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04774888786937493258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-89186589573124647062010-05-11T12:03:56.732-05:002010-05-11T12:03:56.732-05:00I don't know why we have this double standard ...I don't know why we have this double standard on breasts--if they are perky and white they can't be on tv and movies get at least a PG-13 rating (I'd prefer R but I'm not in charge) but if they are black and "native" it's suddenly fine--you can watch it on the Nat Geo channel or in a "family" film. I'm usually for cultural relativism, but really, why couldn't they blur the boobs? We have the technology! Personally, I don't like to see anyone's boobs--white, black, perky, saggy, no thank you!Eos Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01461158689274826458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-15270308394316557382010-05-11T11:04:57.001-05:002010-05-11T11:04:57.001-05:00Oh Kristen!
We went to this on Mother's day to...Oh Kristen!<br />We went to this on Mother's day too and I was thinking the same thing! At first my seven year old was going to go too, then he decided to stay at home and work on a present for with dad. Thank God! LoL<br /><br />It was a great movie though and I agree. There should have been a warning!<br />Kristin~Kristin~https://www.blogger.com/profile/07414904472345377597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-71694252879923554872010-05-11T10:51:03.246-05:002010-05-11T10:51:03.246-05:00I'm not sure I see the benefit in taking child...I'm not sure I see the benefit in taking children or husbands to see this movie. I'm all for breast-feeding, & if the film were more centered around that, I wouldn't find it strange at all. However, I see no reason to expose my husband & children to women walking around without shirts on. I would feel hypocritical since we hold a high standard of modesty in our family.Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13760197687613982738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-73001002727676660342010-05-11T10:39:10.297-05:002010-05-11T10:39:10.297-05:00To answer your question, yes this would have been ...To answer your question, yes this would have been a determining factor in whether we went to see the film as a family. I do not let my children watch documentaries without prescreening them anymore because of the questionable content we have run into. For example, we were watching one about autism until an ugly word popped up. I don't want to have to explain lack of modesty any more than I wanted to explain the misused nickname for Richard. Yes, breastfeeding is beautiful, but we are trying to teach our young ones to be modest and exposing them to cultures where partial nudity is the norm might be confusing to them at this age.Mrs. G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12369529864843405751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-7036272045268295802010-05-11T10:29:26.628-05:002010-05-11T10:29:26.628-05:00What a great discussion! I agree with the few that...What a great discussion! I agree with the few that have said breasts are only sexual ecause of what our culture has made them to be. My husband began to see this once I breastfed our son. I wouldn't be bothered by breasts in this way at all. My son is still an infant, but I believe that hiding something like this from your children just makes them more curious. If you address these issues with them you can teach and explain your point-of-view, but by avoiding these issues with your children they'll have to find out for themselves, which likely will be through avenues you don't agree with. (All of the 'you' being in a general way, not directed at Kristen) I still remember my mom covering my eyes when we went to see Titanic and he was drawing her nude. What did I do? I looked it up online so that I could see what I missed. Had she not covered my eyes we couldve discussed what transpired. I'm not saying not to censor your children at all, but in this situation I'd definitely face the breast issue head on.Kodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04752268343784867005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-74457859907274447272010-05-11T10:10:18.140-05:002010-05-11T10:10:18.140-05:00Megan-
Nope, I didn't hide my son's eyes d...Megan-<br />Nope, I didn't hide my son's eyes during the breast feeding parts. As I mentioned, we are advocates of that and we are all good with it-which is why we didn't get up and leave. I playfully covered his eyes when the native women were just walking around. Either way, we communicated our feelings with him and he has a great opinion and attitude about it.Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02608199440254905212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-66675663379458066762010-05-11T10:07:37.868-05:002010-05-11T10:07:37.868-05:00No, it wouldn't bother me. When I was a kid at...No, it wouldn't bother me. When I was a kid at school, and in the home, we would often be shown documentaries of natives dancing around topless and wearing very little, sometimes even full frontal! We, being kids, giggled in an immature fashion, then were told to focus on what the topic was about, and we stifled our giggles and got on with it.Hear Mum Roarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14462874091867310058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-16904691736882969952010-05-11T10:04:48.343-05:002010-05-11T10:04:48.343-05:00Well, honestly (and please don't take this the...Well, honestly (and please don't take this the wrong way, I am not trying to be mean or snarky AT ALL) but I think that by covering your son's eyes to hide breastfeeding from him you were sending a message to him that breastfeeding is a bad thing and something to be ashamed of. I think that is a huge problem in our culture. We should show our children, both boys and girls, that breastfeeding is natural and normal. Your son will be a parent someday and if he has a negative impression of breastfeeding he might not be supportive of his wife's desire to breastfeed their children. I can understand that you don't want him to see breasts when they are presented in a sexual way, but breastfeeding is totally different.Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07780378005011731333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-28086584845282330072010-05-11T09:25:34.717-05:002010-05-11T09:25:34.717-05:00Saw it this weekend with my sons (8 & 10). Did...Saw it this weekend with my sons (8 & 10). Didn't realize there would be nudity, but we talked about it afterwards. My 10 year old was puzzled by their lack of clothes, but once we talked about the different cultures around the world and that's how they live, he was okay with it. I thought it was a good opportunity to talk about how God designed our bodies and that they were fed the same way as the African baby (the look on their faces were priceless!!).<br /><br />Aside from that, they loved the movie. Me too!!Melissa Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148538587766035437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-34547184480038065542010-05-11T08:34:23.790-05:002010-05-11T08:34:23.790-05:00I too saw this movie and enjoyed it immensely! I t...I too saw this movie and enjoyed it immensely! I took my 6 year old daughter and she loved it also. The exposure of private parts did spark alot of questions, but mostly as to WHY they don't have clothing. Are they poor? Do they work to get money? Do they sell clothes in Africa. We have had alot of age approriate talks about our bodies and privacy and respect. We have also spoken alot about birth, so the birthing scene didn't shock her at all. I don't think the cultural nudity should require a change in rating. I also feel by treating breasts as a sexual body part is an issue all of America needs to address. Case in point, my sister is completely embarrassed to be around public breastfeeding and is very vocal about it. But my comeback line, "You eat in public and the smell is offensive. How is that acceptable?" I loved the movie, my daughter was thrilled to witness behaviors that she knows she also did at the movie stars age. So for her, it was really a look in a crystal ball at herself as a baby. That was precious enough fo rme.AriannaFanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05588515740527749136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-32662387638330009712010-05-11T08:10:10.207-05:002010-05-11T08:10:10.207-05:00Well, maybe 6 months ago I would've agreed wi...Well, maybe 6 months ago I would've agreed with you, but....<br /><br />I have a 10 year old son, an 8 year old daughter, and a two month old baby.<br /><br />I've been nursing and pumping and all that fun stuff and I've not been hiding in a closet to do it. So, it's not just African boobs that are being seen around our house.<br /><br />I think it's important for them to understand the reality of life, and that boobs do have a real purpose. My son seems to understand. If he comes in the room while I'm nursing or pumping, he asks just like he would if I were on the computer or doing anything else. But, I would have a hard time hiding it from him completely and I think that would just be a little silly.Eyvonnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10384005879009517325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-62121705387308583082010-05-11T07:41:54.603-05:002010-05-11T07:41:54.603-05:00You aren't alone. I wouldn't be very comf...You aren't alone. I wouldn't be very comfortable with any of my children seeing that, especially my son! We are open about breastfeeding, as well, but there's just something alarming in seeing them out in the open like that when you're not used to it. I remember a teacher having National Geographics in the classroom in 6th or 7th grade and how scandalous it was when we discovered naked people in them. We lived a very sheltered life, apparently. At any rate...thanks for the heads up and now I know to see this movie with my sisters and friends and not my little ones! ;)Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09340770818738232030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-72268503446221990452010-05-11T07:21:32.618-05:002010-05-11T07:21:32.618-05:00I think Andrea said it very well. I don't hav...I think Andrea said it very well. I don't have sons, but wouldn't have wanted them to see if if I did. Yes, breasts are used for breast-feeding, but in our culture they are very involved in sexual intimacy as well. I can see that many of the women commenting here don't see their breast sexually, and that some mature adult males could view this without sexual thoughts, but preteen/teen years for boys are a time when they are awakening sexually (as God designed them to) and I think it would be difficult for them to not see this and have some related thoughts. I think we should protect our boys just like we do our girls! Why take a chance that it would be an occasion of temptation? Can they not develop a healthy view of breastfeeding without actually seeing breasts?<br /><br />Thanks, Kristen, for the information!Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02883096095980241281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-20270650752567546782010-05-11T07:07:03.095-05:002010-05-11T07:07:03.095-05:00I have not seen the movie and I probably would hav...I have not seen the movie and I probably would have been a little uncomfortable. I usually rely on PluggedInOnline for movie reviews from the Christian perspective. Here is the review for this movie http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/babies.aspx It does warn about nudity in the last paragraph. Usually, they break down movies by Positive Content, Drug Content, Spiritual Content, Bad Language, Violence, etc... Excellent resource!PamOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14024347167690616804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095068418828488278.post-16033406448308316912010-05-11T02:07:14.051-05:002010-05-11T02:07:14.051-05:00Interesting conversation! I just finished nursing...Interesting conversation! I just finished nursing, and I was never discreet at home, so my sons saw my breasts quite a bit. They never seemed to notice when they were "out". We are also not a very modest family, but we are very, very prude about what we let them see in terms of "sexualized" images. I know it is just a matter of time before their minds are influenced by our culture, and they will start to see breasts differently. But since they are pretty innocent, I would take them to the movie. Which has me curious - other than the boobage, is it a movie kids would like? I really want to see it.<br /><br />On another note, I do think it says something about our racial views in this country when a white woman's boob is an automatic PG-13 but an African woman's boob is just a PG. Interesting . . .Kristen Howertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11055131545156196477noreply@blogger.com