Tuesday, August 15, 2006

So baybees are entitled to use women's bodies, but only if men are done with them?

A new study has just come out. It states that, surprise surprise, less than 4 years into marriage, less than half of 30-year-old women wanted regular sex. Now, the bovious reason for this, for anyone who is normal and NOT stupid, would be "Oh, women are probably tired because they work harder than men, on average". Well, knowing that this is the logical, most correct response, let's take a dive into Wingnutland!

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach knows the secret to making married couples have more sex: Give breasts back to their rightful owners, men. He says that women who breastfeed their children make their breasts into something useful, and that turns men off. The minute a baby touches a woman's boob, it's no longer appealing as a sex object, and thus, men no longer find their wives appealing.

This is a wonderful example of male entitlement, not to mention the very strong existence of mixed messages being sent to women. From one angle, they're bad mommies if they don't breastfeed, and from another, they're bad sex-slaves if they do. So now Boteach has created a world where women must choose between their children and their spouses. It's ridiculous, it's misogyny, and it's completely incorrect. There is absolutely no truth to the notion that women's breasts are no longer appealing if they breastfeed with them. Not only that, but that shouldn't matter anyway! Men do not have breasts. They cannot get them through marriage. Sorry, Rabbi.

Amanda at Pandagon and Shakespeare's Sister have more on this topic. I just couldn't help but touch on it myself it made me so sick to my stomach.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I almost wrote about this. I even had a funny title (What Could Be More Unattractive Than the Name Shmuley?"). I also came up with a catchy slogan for misogyny ("Misogyny: Turning Breasts and Vaginas into Tits and Pussies Since the Beginning of Time"). But I figured you'd have much more fun with this, so I wrote about Dr. Ebadi instead.

The fact that Shmuley had sex at least 8 times to create his children almost turns me off to intercourse completely. Almost. I just hope none of those 8 children are girls.

Anonymous said...

Pfft, a wife's breastfeeding would give me ideas, not make it unappealing. And, just for good measure...

oMg ItS sOoO sEkSiSt TaHt MeN kAnT bReStFeDe!!!!11111111111111111111111

Anonymous said...

Emily! You thought I'd have FUN having my brain explode? OMG I was so pissed. I can't stand religious fundies of any kind. :/

*is grumpy*

Anonymous said...

My brain exploded too! I just thought it'd be . . . good for you to, um . . . let loose and . . . express yourself . . . creatively.

Yes, that's it.

Anonymous said...

I've got a great idea too, Rabbi.

Off yourself. Then the world would be a better place, oh and SHMULEY?

Hahahaha

Sounds like a puppet on Sesame Street!

(For the record, I'm with Drew. I wanna see the boobies, baby or not.)