Keene State College Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies/American Studies Dr. Patricia Pedrozas finds that there are two very contradictory messages about a woman’s body: it’s okay to be merchandised only if it’s “attractive,” but made to be shamed if it’s not attractive.
“When women are a social object which produces money, breasts become an economical enterprise and I call that an industry,” Pedroza said. She continued, “And if we’re not selling it, we wonder if there is something wrong, something dirty with our bodies; we wonder: are our bodies beautiful?”
Some say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what if that view is polluted? Some would agree that the media’s perception of people, especially of women, is erroneous in its idealist display.
The group who makes up the ‘Free the Nipple Campaign’ certainly does. This movement is to set the double standard about public topless-ness straight: women should be able to walk around topless anywhere a man can.
“I feel like it should be normal, it should be okay” Nick Swain, a Keene State College student, said.
KSC junior Marissa DePolo said, “I understand it, I support it; I just think it’s a campaign that’s going to take time.”
With the 100-year anniversary of women having the right to vote only five years away, some may argue, it’s about time.
KSC senior Julia Lagace said, “I mean it starts with us in schools… us teaching people that women’s bodies aren’t anything to be ashamed of.”
Christian mentor for KSC students Deb Eklund said, “Our bodies are beautiful and sacred yet we live in a highly sexualized society that distorts and perverts that beauty and innocence and sweetness.”
KSC’s on-campus club, Feminist Collective (Femco) strives to offer opportunities to remember that beauty and be proud of it.
KSC senior and member of Femco Meghan Jenks said, “We are dedicated to equality and raising awareness for feminist issues…[with] marches about sexual assault, a love your body week. We’re trying to do more fun events too, like sex toy bingo, which is all about removing that shame about your body and being proud of who you are, your sexuality.”
Femco, which was founded by Dr. Pedroza, meets on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. in Huntress.
When asked her opinions on the free the nipple campaign, Jenks said she found it absurd that breasts are so sexualized when they’re just another organ on the body.
“It’s not even about going topless, it’s that we don’t want to even acknowledge the existence of nipples at all. [But] they’re there, and they serve a distinct purpose,” Jenks continued.
Breastfeeding.
“Just feed the baby, it shouldn’t be embarrassing,” Dr. Pedroza said. Yet she also acknowledged how many women find it unappealing until they themselves have to experience it.
“The students will face these kind of issues the moment they become pregnant, the moment they have the baby, [the moment] they adjust,” she said.
Heather Lounsbury, an Early Childhood Teacher at the Child Development Center (CDC), said she found this to be true.
“I had a really different perspective [of breastfeeding] before I was breastfeeding myself: I was like well, you don’t need to do it in public and if you’re going to, you should cover up.”
She laughed and said, “If you’ve ever tried to cover up with a 7-month-old
Photo Illustration by Kendall Pope & Jake Coughlin
while breastfeeding, you know that’s pretty much a losing battle. Honestly, it would take me less time and it would be less intrusive if I just feed her and we moved on. It’s drawing more attention to myself by trying to cover her up.”
Eklund said, “Because of our society, it’s not [considered] pure; it should be, but it’s not. People can make rude comments so, for me, it was easier to just cover up. It wasn’t a big deal, and it was good for my babies…because covering up protected them from distraction and noise.”
Another concern is that people should be covering the eyes of our children so as not to see bare breasts. However, others are saying it’s how we as adults react that impact children the most.
KSC sophomore Nathaniel Wolf said, “If people make a big deal of it and say it’s inappropriate, then [children] will agree.”
When asked his opinion on public breastfeeding and it’s correlation to the ‘free the nipple’ campaign, he said, “I see it as even less of an issue. It’s natural; they’re feeding their children.”
There appears to be a segregation between women showing cleavage and women feeding babies.
Dr. Emek Ergun, lecturer for Women’s and Gender Studies, said, “[Breastfeeding] doesn’t contribute to the male gaze. It doesn’t play into the sexualization of the body, so it’s considered inappropriate.”
In other countries, it appears these mindsets are very different from our own.
Dr. Ergun, who travels frequently to Turkey, said that while there are still restrictive regulations, they are different from here.
“It usually doesn’t make much sense to compare…the larger structure that shapes people’s lives is [everywhere]. This isn’t just about gender, it’s about race, ethnicity, religion, class, sexuality,” she said.
However, she did say that, in Turkey, the feminist movement is more elaborate.
“It’s more out there, on the streets, protesting; you constantly see that some feminist activity is going on outside. Here, at least right now, it’s a bit more academic, and you don’t see a protest every other week.”
Dr. Ergun said that in order for this segregation to change we have to keep talking about this issue to find ways to combat the sexist attributes of our patriarchal culture.
“It’s important to change our mindsets,” Ergun said.
Dr. Pedroza, said the more rural you go in Latin America, the more likely you are to see women comfortably breastfeeding in public.
“In this country, it is not allowed and welcomed; in my county it’s allowed and welcomed, it’s a woman’s right. Not everywhere…but there are many places.” She said how it’s not a huge issue like it is here in America.
Heather Lounsbury, from the CDC, said, “Sometimes it takes a big, flashy something to get people to change their perspective, even if it’s something small.”
According to KSC’s policies, as established in 2012, KSC is in agreement with the New Hampshire State law, RSA 132:10-d: Breastfeeding in New Hampshire, and provides locations and flexible adjustments for their breastfeeding faculty.
The CDC also offers a place for comfortable and secure breastfeeding on campus.
In addition, the student handbook clearly reads (with no gender specifics):“Shirts are required inside all nonresident buildings and where decorum suggests such appropriate attire.”
Dorothy England can be contacted at Dengland@kscequinox.com