Pop Culture Scan
Breasts, Power and Cancer
by Kim Heismann
Female Breasts: Source of life, female power, and politics
Although the primary biologic function of the breast is to nourish, the breast has for many centuries been a symbol of femininity, beauty and feminine power.
Perhaps this power has never before been used quite so blatantly as in Donald Trump's new reality T V show The Apprentice and the flaunting of the “Breast for Success” business model. In the show, we see a shocking new business tactic emerging—the women's team's shameless use of their hooters to score at business.
Whether you believe these women's use of sexuality promotes power or slavery, one fact remains: these tactics seem to be working and Donald's women consistently kicked the booty of his men's team. Now that's fresh.
Speaking of women in business, even Janet Jackson got political about breasts recently to promote her new album on primetime television. And although Jackson's legal exposure clashed with America's threshold for the public baring of breasts, I say good for her for breaking the breast-aversion mold.
Our longtime fascination with breasts has lead some to argue that the restriction of access creates a commodity, hence creating a market for the pornography industry and topless bars. As in the drug war, are we merely driving prices up and making the business more lucrative for those willing to deal in this high stakes market by preventing our breasts from being bared?
Breasts
are often a source of conflicting emotions for women. Our personal body experiences are rarely reflected in media images we see. A woman may feel ashamed, proud, annoyed, and sexual about her breasts in the course of one menstrual cycle, or even a single moment. Almost every woman has a bra story to tell. Some are traumatic, others joyful. A first bra is one of our culture's rites of passage for women, yet it's often a secret, mumbled between teenaged girls and their mothers in store dressing rooms.
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