In WW2 when my dad was in the Philippines, the navy wanted breastfeeding native women to cover up...

[Amaryllis]

So they gave the women white sailor uniform tops to wear. Those who were breastfeeding obligingly wore them, but cut holes in the tops for their breasts so their babies could access them. So practical! It was many years ago that my dad told me this story, and he is long gone. I don’t remember more details – if it was only the breastfeeding women who were bare breasted, or all of the women. But this story always stuck in my memory because I thought it spoke volumes about the clash of cultural norms, values, and paradigms, and imposing the values and morality of one onto another.

The recent posts about women breastfeeding in public reminded me of this story. I hadn’t thought about in a long time, and thought you all would find it interesting.

Those posts got me wondering if some of the objection to public breastfeeding is that for some, it ruins breasts as appealing sex objects when they are shown being used for a utilitarian purpose.

[angstlessk]

1. My father had photos of whatever Islands he landed in

women in grass skirts and I don't want to say 'topless', just uncovered above the waist.

[Lisa0825]

2. OMG! My dad was in the GC, and the same thing happened in Ulithi!

I recall my mom telling me that it was the men's wives who sent the cases of t-shirts when they heard about the women walking around bare-chested! But actually, it wasn't just breastfeeding women (at least there). It was just normal for women to be topless there. (At least that is what my parents told me)

[Major Nikon]

3. The Army told the Japanese they had to separate the men and women in bath houses

So they ran a rope down the middle.

[panader0]

4. My twins were premature.

They had to stay in the hospital 90 miles away.
My ex-wife got a double breasted milk sucking machine.
She hooked it up==one suction cup on each tit, and turned it on.
The small bottles were full in a hurry. They went in the freezer, and every
other day we'd drive to Tucson and deliver the goods.
I'll never forget the milking......
The kids overcame their birth weight quickly and both are grown and healthy adults.

[brooklynite]

5. I'm sorry, but that sounds completely implausible

Last edited Mon Aug 6, 2018, 11:15 PM - Edit history (1)

(nb - I lived in the Philippines for five years)

Before the American occupation, the Philippines was a colony of straight-laced Catholic Spain. Topless natives may have been off in the mountains (like Banaue) but weren't likely to be at Subic or Cavite or anyone of locations where the Navy was docked. As the phrase goes: "300 years in a Convent; 40 years in Hollywood"

[marybourg]

6. Just asked my WWII vet DH, who

was stationed in several small towns. He says “no”. The women did not go bare breasted. I’m sure he’d remember that!