----- Original Message ----- From: "martin schiller" <mschiller at pobox.com>
On Feb 27, 2011, at 6:26 AM, Alan Rudy wrote:
> And you don't have to be Catherine MacKinnon to be floored by Dennis's and
> Fernando's lack of gender/political reflexivity when it comes to the
> completely healthy contestation around the vile history of male gaze (and,
> here, I'm not sure Joanna's attempt at humor helped).
Lots of big words here. Perhaps the breast milk ice cream might be viewed as a counter to the phobia about breast milk consumption among US population.
martin ___________________________________
Sigh.
As to my attempt at humor. I was trying to be sympathetic to the boys. As a bisexual woman, I certainly understand the attraction of breasts.
But the topic of the original post was about the commodification of breast milk and the exploitation of the women who would have to provide it.
But, apparently the breast imagery was so overpowering, that the males on this list who chose to respond could not see commodification or exploitation -- or anything much other than Breasts.
Now I do understand that having no experience with helpless infants or with breast feeding would get in the way of understanding the issues at play, which is why I tried to explain.
But the boys didn't seem to think anything needed explaining. So I gave up.
I don't think breast milk ice cream will do anything to counter the phobia about breast milk consumption in the U.S. It's apples and oranges. In the current context, breast milk ice cream is an act of libertinage; breast feeding, on the other hand, is an example of an uncommodifiable relationship between mother and child. Favoring the one has nothing to do with accepting the other.
Joanna