Breastfeeding on Desperate Housewives *some spoilers*
While we were catching up on our TV shows last night, we caught a bit of Desperate Housewives. During the episode, Felicity Huffman's character is recruiting another woman to come work for their firm. After FH points out how mother-friendly her office is, the recruit asks about how people would feel about her breastfeeding her youngster at the office. Her fears allaued the woman is recruited. At this point, I was excited to see breastfeeding showed in a positive light.
The comic potential of the situation shows up later as the woman's youngster turns out to be five. And he's still breastfeeding - *flat* how funny is that. When FH tries to talk to the woman about possibly not breastfeeding her child, the woman flies off into a rage of indignation, fact-based but still slightly crazed. Later when FH tempts the youngster with chocolate milk, we turned off the television. Appointment with television cancelled.
I don't know how it ended but I don't care. The episode of the Amazing Race that I tape without adjusting the reception was more entertaining.
The comic potential of the situation shows up later as the woman's youngster turns out to be five. And he's still breastfeeding - *flat* how funny is that. When FH tries to talk to the woman about possibly not breastfeeding her child, the woman flies off into a rage of indignation, fact-based but still slightly crazed. Later when FH tempts the youngster with chocolate milk, we turned off the television. Appointment with television cancelled.
I don't know how it ended but I don't care. The episode of the Amazing Race that I tape without adjusting the reception was more entertaining.
posted by mypetrock at 3:45 PM
3 Comments:
Looking for comments on how breastfeeding was portrayed on Desperate Housewives? How about this: the only thing creepier than a five year old that is still breastfeeding (SPOILER ALERT: older children breastfeeding was also mocked on "ER" by the medical staff) is a grown man that writes, "I was excited to see breastfeeding shown in a positive light." Let me put it in terms you might understand, Dungeon Mistress: just having that thought loses you 25 charisma points.
And all this time I've been thinking that TV people (writers, actors, et al) weren't credible sources on health-related matters. You have set me straight. I'll never consider the gut on my television set to be an expert on medicine. Thank you for setting me straight.
Please enlighten me though. How is a five year old breastfeeding creepy? I'll grant you that it is not something that you see every day.
My wife breastfeeds our child. I support my wife. When we go out in public and he gets hungry, she does catch stares from people who don't understand while she feeds him. Any exposure that bf gets means that people will be more understanding. Still missing the creepy part...
Me again. If you never considered TV people credible sources of health-related matters, why would you be shocked that "Desperate Housewives" of all shows would show breastfeeding five-years olds in a way that you would find appealing? I pointed out that "ER" had mocked the situation to point out that another mainstream show portrayed breastfeeding five-year olds something worthy of skepticism.
You missing the creepy part is not surprising at all. After all, you are a 31-year old that plays Dungeons & Dragons. What is creepy about it? It does not seem like you have thought much about it, so let me fill you in on what some of the rest of us are thinking. Breastfeeding, in and of itself, is not creepy. A mother nurturing her baby is fine. We are not even grossed out by the prospect of a breast being exposed momentarily or a baby sucking on it to receive nourishment. The baby, the breast, and the feeding are fine. It becomes creepy when the baby is not a baby any more or even a toddler. It becomes odd when the child is demanding it verbally or telling the mother it is time to switch sides. It becomes creepy when there are perfectly other means of the child feeding itself, when it eskews a cup for a breast. It retards the child's development as an independent and social being when it is face down in mommy's boobs. What else is creepy about it? At a certain point (that five is way beyond) breastfeeding seems like a horrible display of parental overcompensation. "This is how much I love my child. I am willing to be a cow for my child. The milk I produce even to this day is much better than what my child could get anywhere else." Does it surprise me that someone willing to warehouse their kid at a daycare would overcompensate so? Not really. My other experiences with LaLeche League crazies only confirms the idea. The group preys on people insecure in their natural parenting instincts and turns them into single minded zealots, so willing to say that they support everyone else's right to parent as they choose ("smorgasbord") but then take every opportunity to knock those that parents another way.
And you are wrong, any exposure breastfeeding gets means that people will be more understanding. Just as when anyone pushes the norms, social or otherwise, way past the extreme, it only causes a backlash. Have you been paying attention to anything? No, you are probably too busy painting figurines for your D&D games.
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