And there was me thinking I'd solved your problem, Houellebecq as to where to look when talking to a breastfeeding woman on a bus… by looking at the baby whilst talking to its mother. Since it is socially acceptable in this situation to look at the baby and the breasts without making eye contact with the mother – compared to being socially unacceptable to look at her breasts without making eye contact when she doesn't have a baby to feed.

To really prove your 'right to be a mother' you could always offer to breastfeed the baby yourself and then the woman has the problem of where to look.

As for, "This is what the eyes of husbands are accusing friends of thinking as their friends talk to the breastfeeding wife", my suggestion is to find friends who know how to share.

Its good that you "feel flattered at the attention I get at gay bars. It's such a trip!" and I'm sure it's not that they're appalled at the strange mixture of textures and materials and wanting to do a makeover. Nor should you "be 'made' to feel guilty for leading them on with my cheeky grin and tight butt"

If the 'cheeky grin and tight butt' are one and the same they could be after advice as to how you make 'it' smile?

"I don't see the social police stopping women at the beach advising them to be more considerate of people's discomfort"

How long is it since you went to a beach? Or is it is that you are so 'informed' by your feminism you don't see what is inconvenient? Of course what you term "social police" have always been active at the beach and yes, the amount of flesh displayed is monitored and offenders marched off.

It would be recognising rather obvious reality to say that the source of such censure and complaint is always women, with the excuse being, "What about the children?". The said children always have better things to do and mum should be watching them instead of the perky boobs on the sweet young thing thirty metres away. Women are highly competitive and they get insanely jealous of other women. I have been involved in a SLSC for years and none of us want to be the instruments of botherers on their own beach patrol. Honestly, people can be trusted to look after themselves. It is the censorious, nagging botherers who are the problem. They would be interfering with their neighbours on god knows what back home too. Always a compliant.

The highly functional and iconic Speedos are next it seems. Interfering womyn are the complainants this time.

Any 'problem' with public breastfeeding is between women. The same petty jealousies apply. With a new edge, because feminists have lauded the superwomen who can raise a family while working as executives. As well, feminists display ambivalence towards nursing and caring for children - State childcare instead. Complicated.

Years ago it was simple and public nursing was common. It is a now a complex (?!) area for women, apparently. Maybe it is just that talking heads needs something to chin wag about. Nothing to do with men though.

Last sentence, make that 'need' not 'needs' before some bothering schoolmarm has a go at me.

onthebeach I don't agree that it's nothing to do with men. I know of at least one man who made life difficult for a daughter in law insisting that she remove herself to an isolated room (generally without fan or AC) to breastfeed children when she was at their home.

Likewise some of those determined to get rid of speedo's are male.

Mrs Grundy and her spot it and stop it squad has male counterparts.

R0bert

RObert, "I know of at least one man who made life difficult for a daughter in law "

The odd exception proves the rule.

"Likewise some of those determined to get rid of speedo's are male"

The operative word is some. The general statement is not disturbed by a few male complainants. The Speedos were invented for speed and ease in sea conditions. There is nothing better for the purpose. It is mainly Left womyn who have sandy v's over them. Most of it is politically motivated and is aimed at Abbott.

I should add that SLSC women have worn Speedos for countless years and SLSC members have received complaints from female members of the public about them. "Why don't (whingers have lots of 'don'ts') they always wear board shorts", for example.

There are far too many botherers in the world and in Australia the censorious nags seem to be in a growth phase. 'Bother thy Neighbour' is becoming a national pastime and a defining element of Australian culture. The growth of envy. Why so?

I donno, I'm a male, and I reckon I have a steak. I'm a steak holder. Medium rare.

I was just thinking about this latest outrage-a-thon, I'm addicted to them i find them fascinating, such passion people have, and really Australia isn't actually an easy going laid back country, if it ever was. God help us when Juliar brings in her new laws against offending people.

I suppose my main point on here is there really is no need to shoot 'koshy' down for saying what he did. He's not some god who has to be obeyed, and women have their own minds so I really don't like all the fuss about one guys opinion. 'It's damaging' they say. Don't make me laugh man. It's just a vehicle for the breast feeding Nazis and feminists to symbolically beat the middle aged white male about and make an example.

In the end I reckon a chick should be able to breast feed at the pool, because who wants to round the brothers and sisters up out of the pool and into the 'mother's room' when you can just slyly pop it out and keep supervising. Though It would be hard to drop a baby poolside to save the other drowning kids I suppose.

Doesn't mean I don't agree with the broader 'koshy' passing comment of discretion.

Common sense is the first casualty of an outrage outbreak. Hey anti I bet the actual complainant was a chick, and the poor guy running the pool had to do their bidding. Still he coulda shown some back bone and told the complainer to get nicked.

I've much preferred wearing boardies since okanuis. I'm quite image conscious. I try to read Esquire, Vogue living and I never miss Executive Style. I cant imagine executive style condoning speedos. There's something about the idea of... you're wearing shorts, and then they're swimmers, and then they're shorts again, it's all so convenient and even huck-finn like. Did he actually have jeans cut off into shorts does anyone know? I don't think that would look very good.