We live in a society where getting greasy fast food full of some of the worst stuff to put in your body is the norm. Generally acceptable. Even the most healthy among us cave and eat it now and then. And yet breastfeeding is considered obscene. Moms are shunned from public places. Made to feel like they are doing something wrong. Told to cover up or leave. Considered generally unacceptable.
We also live in a world where people make huge public statements against breastfeeding. Paul Tudor Jones is a billionaire hedge fund executive who, we can assume and by his own "formula", has never been breastfed or is seriously putting down his mother if he had been. He thinks breastfeeding kills a woman's ambition -- and so does having babies. "As soon as that baby’s lips touched that girl’s bosom, forget it," he said. He thinks mothers have no drive or focus. I guess we may as well just be barefoot in the kitchen. I wonder how Jones likes his steak. Should I wash his feet?
It's actually terrifying to think that it's the year 2013 and people are making statements like this. Haven't we "earned" our rights as women, as citizens, as the only human able to birth other humans and therefore continuing the human race. If it wasn't for a woman -- an unfocused woman with no ambition apparently -- Paul Tudor Jones wouldn't be alive. And yet, he -- along with many others -- continue to disrespect and disregard all that makes a woman a woman.
Am I angry? Yes. Is this troubling? Very much.
Then again it wasn't that long ago when we didn't have equal rights. Ms. Magazine has reminded us that before the 1970s, we couldn't get our own credit card or keep our job if pregnant. Women are still getting fired for being knocked up though.
Do we have to wait another 40 years in order for breastfeeding to be normal for some people? Does it have to be 2053 for women to be respected?
Moms, you have no ambition. I'm a twin mom so I guess that means I have double the no ambition. Our breastfed babies sucked all the drive out of us. We have no focus. That's the message. Because caring for a child doesn't exhibit any drive, ambition, or focus. Because the sheer act of parenting doesn't force you to have drive, ambition, and focus. Because succeeding at breastfeeding takes zero drive, ambition, and focus. There is so much wrong with society. With the views some have and share and spread and perpetuate.
Since I'm feeling ambitious, I will remind everyone that there is nothing wrong with motherhood. It's beautiful, an honor, a joy, and it takes a lot of focus and drive and ambition and love and respect. Those last two ... something Jones and those like him really need more of.
What do you think of Jones' statement? Do the views of some on breastfeeding bother you? Have you been affected by them?
Image via Maja/Flickr