Yesterday while I was working, and admitedly being a wee bit obnoxious, a man came up to the counter with a t-shirt that said "Boobies make me smile". Now, two years ago, I may have found this t-shirt appauling, offensive and rude. Instead, to my manager/friend, AJ's chagrin (who was trying to decide how to tell this very large man that we would not serve him because he was disrespecting us of the female persuasion - btw, I do not like the term "female" it makes me feel like a dog), I giggled inspite of myself, finding the shirt extremely hilarious. Not because it was a very large man wearing it, not because it was totally obnoxious, and CERTAINLY not because we had several customers in line. But because as a nursing mom, the first thing that entered my head is my beautiful silly boy wearing this t-shirt. Because boobies make him smile! And frankly, they make me smile too. I don't think of my"boobies" as a sexual part of my body anymore. Not because they are droopy and off kilter and rather goofy looking, but because the milk they create sustained my son's life for the first 10 or so months of his life. My milk provides nourishment, antibodies against infections, comfort, promotes healing, reduces the risk of diabetes for myself and my son, reduces the risk of breast cancer, and nursing reduces the effect of pain (ie. vaccinations) by releasing endorphines while my son is nursing. Not to mention so many other things that we have yet to discover. I only wish other people saw boobies the way a nursing mom and baby do. People would welcome nursing moms instead of berating them, which is much more offensive to me than a t-shirt that says "boobies make me smile". Though the intent of the wearer was not geared towards nursing moms, I hope that by telling him that I was a nursing mom and so that is why I liked his shirt, perhaps he will think of that the next time he sees boobies. So, boobies DO make me smile. At least my boobies do.
ps. man boobies do not make me smile
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