Bahama Mammas: Uncovering the Mountainous Layers of Sexist Views of Breasts and Sport

ABSTRACT

Some twenty years ago, sport philosopher Ken Saltman in ‘Men with Breasts’ argued that breasts in American culture signify nurturing motherhood, the object of love and desire, and are capable of selling numerous products from cars to perfume. Saltman focused on bodybuilding and argues that there is gender subversion in bodybuilding reinforced by stereotypical contradictoriness of gender norms, ideals and expectations. A dichotomy continues to exist in sport; women’s breasts are often viewed as incompatible with sport, especially with respect to breastfeeding, as evidenced by the regulations leading up to the 2020 Tokyo games. Breasts are also viewed as nuisance in sport yet simultaneously breasts are highly sexually objectified which results in a challenging and sexist culture that women athletes are forced to navigate. In this article, I aim to provide an updated philosophical analysis on breasts, and argue that breasts continue to create a contested terrain for women athletes. In part one, I make a case for the sexual objectification of breasts and the sports bra in sport, and in section two, I focus on the incompatibility of breasts and challenges for breastfeeding athletes.

KEYWORDS:

• Women athletes
• breasts
• breastfeeding
• sexual objectification

Acknowledgement

Many thanks to the reviewers for their helpful feedback. And, thanks to Pam Sailors for the support and insight.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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2. See headline, https://www.totalprosports.com/2014/10/15/40-greatest-moments-in-sports-cleavage-history/.

3. 3 See headline, https://www.thesportster.com/entertainment/top-15-female-athletes-with-the-biggest-breasts/.

4. See story, https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/gallery/wardrobe-malfunctions-winter-olympics-2018–12055162.

5. See specific website, https://www.pornhub.com/video/search?search=sports+nip+slips.

6. See specific website, Porn.com.

7. See Gossard’s ‘Cleavage-Enhancing’ Sports Bra To Make Working Out Even More Uncomfortable. (2014, 25 March). Huffington Post. Available at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cleavage-sports-bra-gossard_n_5029255.

8. See Daily Mail article, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2360175/Breasts-threatening-athletes-careers-revealed-gymnasts-push-brink-starvation-avoid-developing-athletes-spend-thousands-surgically-reduce-them.html.

9. In the Fall 2022, the USA Military will supply the first tactical bra for female soldiers. They are currently selecting from four prototypes. This example is relevant because it emphasizes how research and design specific for women’s breast is important and necessary. See: https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3598746-army-creating-first-tactical-bra-for-female-soldiers/.

10. See HBO website, https://www.hbo.com/being-serena.