I don't know. People breast feed in a very discreet way, it's not like everyone can see exactly what's going on. Some people seem to look for things to be offended by.

I suppose because it is an intimate act between two people, and involves for the mother at least, baring a breast which is normally considered socially unacceptable in everyday society in this part of the world. Personally I don't have any problems with it, I think women should go one step further and don't bother with the baby bit, but that's just me :-) A lot of it is to do with social trends ingrained into people from a young age, in that they shouldn't publicly display parts of their body, but as society seems to be becoming more and more accepting of display of flesh - look at fashions today compared to 50 years ago - and as people realise the many benefits of breastmilk over bottle feeding, I hope that it will become more socially acceptable. After all, as you say, it is perfectly natural and has been going on for a lot longer than wearing clothes has.

I'm not sure why they are offended actually. I mean, I don't find it offensive (though personally would never comprehend doing it myself. My mum once said to me, 'you ruined my stomach, you weren't getting my tits too!). The only time I would think it a bit weird would be if the 'kid' was 35 or something

because it's the continuing saga of the "wuss-afaction" of modern day society...everyone nowadays is so afraid of their own damn shadow, and everyone is always trying to be "politcally correct", because there afraid of what someone else might think or say about them...wake up people..it's the 21st century..and then theres those who always look for something to complain about or critisize...personally, I don't have a problem with it, even in public...I mean the child does have to eat right??

I don t think they are offended, I think thay are embarrised! it is a intimate interaction between mom & child and thay don t know how to act around it.

They're not. But when a mother begins breastfeeding a child IN PUBLIC, this creates a problem. You can't really cover up with the baby's head there. And not covering up is called "indecent exposure".

I think it grosses some people- particularly men- out, because they're used to seeing breasts as a sexual thing and seeing them used as something associated with babies and motherhood throws up a lot of confusing issues! Plus, because we do associate breasts so much with sex in modern society, we see anything that involves the baring of them (even discreetly) as inherently sexual, and therefore inappropriate for public viewing.

I believe that Lady Fuschia has it right. My wife breast fed two kids, and tried to be somewhat discreet, but we were only willing to go so far to cover up other people's embarrassment. If we were in the mall, and a baby needed to feed, why should we leave the mall, or go to a restroom just so someone won't be offended? She would usually try to find a discreet location, and cover up somewhat with a blanket or coat. Even then, she sometimes got "evil glares" from some people. You would think that she was stripping in the middle of the food court the way some people would look at her! Lady Fuschia, I must disagree with the part of your answer where you said "it grosses some people out - particularly men". I would say the majority of the evil looks and even the rare nasty comment came from women, not men. Now that the serious part of the answer is done, I have an interesting story about breast-feeding. Back in 1989, I was working for a training company in Boston. The company offered week-long intensive training courses that were then followed up with a two-hour interview the following week. Although I worked in operations, sometimes they would tap me to help out with the interviews if there were a lot scheduled at the same time. One time I was conducting interviews at the Embassy Suites hotel in Boston. My "interviewee" showed up for the interview with a 4~ year old child in tow. She explained to me, that she had come down from Maine for the interview, and that she had no-one who could watch her son. She said that he would just play or read during the interview, and wouldn't distract her. Although I was doubtful, there really wasn't much choice. I brought them into the interview room, and she gave the boy some toys, crayons and a coloring book. He lay on the floor coloring away and we got on with the interview. Everything was going fine, until about 45 minutes in. Then, the boy came to his mother and told her he was hungry. She asked me if it was okay if she fed him, and I answered in the affirmative. I assumed she would pull out some crackers or a sandwich from her bag for him. Instead, he climbed up on her lap, she lifted her shirt, and he started nursing. Needless to say, that was the end of THAT interview!

jealous, idiots are offended by women who nurture there off spring.

People are offended because modern society has been watered down, and made sensitive to what was once acceptable. The breast is passed off as a sex organ when it is not. Of course, it may be a secondary sexual characteristic, but that doesn't mean anything is 'indecent.' I'm sorry to say, as I am not prejudice, that religious bigotry in the government, and the sex industry most-likely led to this being called 'indecent exposure.' America needs to grow up.

Because most people are morons!

Why are people offended by many natural acts ... unrinating, defacating, intercourse?

I just think it is just better left behind closed doors. Taking a crap is a natural act...do you want me to do it in time square..no is the answer.

Didn't you know? In America, breasts are for SEX! Just kidding, of course, I too think it is riddiculous. Real answer may be because we civilized Westerners believe that we are in so many ways above our bodily functions. If we acknowledge that we do everything that the "uncivilized" do, then National Geographic would have to start featuring us! I'd love to see a picture of say...a middle class New Yorker on the cover of N.G. breastfeeding! Signed: www.wish_we'd_ get_away_from_ us_and_ them _thinking.

Oh please. Why can't the mother just go somewhere private? Yes, it is natural, but it is an attention getting device if you can't go somewhere discreet. No way a woman has to expose her breasts in a public place.

As a mother of three who chose to breastfeed discreetly, a private place is not always as convenient as you'd think. A nursed baby is not always on a 3-4 hour predictable feeding schedule. When an infant demands feeding, you need to find somewhere fast. I agree mothers should cover themselves and be respectful of others at all times, but shouldn't be banished to public restrooms with enough bacteria and germs to kill an elephant! (I don't want to eat my dinner in the bathroom either.) Is it really so hard to ignore a blanket over someone's shoulder? It is the people who don't even try to be discreet that cause problems. In my case, it was more a matter of finding somewhere comfortable to sit, quickly, other than the floor or a toilet. I often ended up in the car in the middle of winter. Hats off to the family friendly stores that offer an out of the way room or chair. I say be discreet, but be tolerant too.

I never breast fed either one of my children, it was just my choice at the time. However many women I know did breast feed, and I never found it offensive in any way. I was on an airplane and a lady was breast feeding her infant, she had told me she had to fly out to West Coast as her dad had just passed away. She was getting the most rotten looks by other passengers, and the flight attendant made a comment about going to the restroom? Those things are tiny, and gross, yet nothing was exposed. Now if a woman just exposed her breasts at that Mall or on an airplane men would not call that offensive, but women would. Women can be pretty critical of other women, jealous? I dont know,but feeding in public does not phase me, it's a natural act.

In our society unfortunatley breasts have at least in the "Baby Boomer" age group I am in, been equated with things like Playboy Magazine, strip clubs, X rated movies and other strictly sexual things, not in the context of nurturing anything related to the important purpose for which breasts are also intended and used. I also think men are embarrassed once they get to the post adolesent stage, to see a woman breastfeed (even if she is being very discreet about it) because they are afraid to look, not sure if it is OK to even glance, and also afraid they might find it sexually stimulating. It is similar to being in a men's public bathroom with an open urinal system, or at the gym in the locker room or shower room: A straight guy (which I am, so I can only speak from my perspective) is VERY hesitant to look around at any of the other guys below the waist for fear they will think it odd or creepy. Likewise, alot of men (whether they admit it or not) have this "penis envy" thing, so they WANT to compare, but don't want others looking at THEM necessarily! It's something I don't believe women in similar situations experience, or not nearly as much as men do. I feel comfortable with a woman breastfeeding if she is discreet about it and I am not the only one near her in the same room. I suppose in another 20 years I will be desensitized to everything, or forget why I even cared to begin with, and then it will be a non-issue.

Because they find nipples to be socially confronting, and looking at them causes immoral behaviour (or so some people think).

why are people offended by the public display of the natural act of sexual intercourse?

Anyone who finds breastfeeding offensive needs to be beaten about the head with a large trout for several hours!

I think if its done publicly, it can offend some. People are brought up to be modest and covered in public, breastfeeding for all to see can be viewed as offensive. On the flip side, if the Mom is sitting at a restaurant eating, why cant the baby eat too? I think its offensive to the kid and mom to ask them to eat/feed in a bathroom, where none of the other patrons would ever dream of eating. In Israel, many offices like social security and the ministry of the interior have special breastfeeding rooms.

I think people are offended of breast feeding in public is because the sight of the breast. Its just a natural thing some mothers do, Would you rather hear the baby cry for milk, Or have the mother breastfeed so the infant stops crying? Hmmm...? Yeah, Thats what I thought! Love ya, AnswerWoman532