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Women's Index > Breasts
> Breasts In Society
Throughout history the female breast has been
a symbol of femininity and power, in some cultures (many now
historic) the breasts have been
uncovered or even accentuated as in ancient Mycean culture. At other
times they have been covered and even bound and today in Western
society bare breasts are accepted at beaches, night clubs and some
festivals. Accentuated breasts (cleavage) have become tool to gain
power in commerce and in attracting a mate.
The breasts display enormous variation between
people. They can be small, flat, tear-shaped or
pear-shaped, droopy or perky, immense and plump,
dominated by big dark nipples or the palest pink
ones. There is huge interest in the breast -
everybody loves them: men, women, babies.
Western cultures in
particular have a fascination with breasts that makes
them especially sexual objects. Ever since genders
started dressing differently, breasts have been
over-emphasised - apart from the androgynous
1920’s and bra-burning of the ‘60’s.
The empire-line push-up breasts of Jane Austen years
or the pointy, cone-like breasts of the 1950’s
are testament to this. With the amount of attention
placed on breasts it is no wonder that women will do
almost anything to achieve the ‘perfect’
breast - padding, strapping, Wonder-Bras or surgery.
The confusing part is,
nobody really knows why breasts come in so
many different shapes. There is even debate as to why
the female human actually has breasts. In other
primates, breasts swell only when they feed their
young, otherwise lying flat and unseen. But in
humans, breasts develop at puberty and stay that way
even during lactation. Well-known anthropologist
Desmond Morris reasons that female breasts are
primarily sexual as only one-third of their size is
devoted to their practical task of breast-feeding -
the remaining is simply fat. He says they developed
to imitate the round hemispheres of the female
bottom, a sexual signal that disappeared when apes
began to walk upright. However in a number of
different cultures, breasts are not sexual signals.
Unlike in the Western world, many women around the
world do not cover their breasts. Other body parts
(such as feet, the neck or bottom) are erotic signals
in their cultures.
 The 1960’s saw an
extensive women’s right movement that has seen
breasts become an important issue in feminism.
Bra-burning was a symbol of freedom, of removing the
restrictions placed on women by men. Around this time
there also came an increased awareness of breast
cancer. As a disease that focuses solely on women,
research and treatment had not been as substantial or
as demanding as other medical studies focusing on
diseases that afflicted men or both sexes.
Demonstrations in America during the early 90’s
resulted in a considerable increase in funding for
breast-cancer projects and as a result, a drop in
breast cancer fatalities.
 Breast cancer turns the breast into a
two-sided coin. On one side, it is the giver of life,
but on the other it can be the taker of life. In
America, there is a one in nine chance of a woman
contracting it. Here in New Zealand and Australia,
the statistics are lower, about one in twelve. The
exact causes of breast cancer aren’t known
although genetics (family history) and lifestyle are
believed to be factors. Early detection is vital in
the successful treatment of breast cancer, and
something every woman should learn is
self-examination. The majority of lumps found in
breasts are benign - non-cancerous. Learning how
breasts look and feel normally means that
abnormalities will be found quickly and the chance of
recovery in the event of cancer is greatly improved.
The female breast is
absolutely fascinating in any aspect it may take -
that of a sexual, desirable object to a man, or of
the bringer of life to newborn babies, or of the
breast that belongs solely to a woman, and her alone.
Breast product comparisons
Breast massage for health
Breast enhancing massage
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