Why?

I get a lot of surprised responses when I tell people I've started a blog called Breast Stories. Contrary to my expectations before I started this enterprise, the strongest reactions come from men who really wonder why anyone would do such a thing.

Also contrary to my expectations, the most affirming responses have been from women. Several women have said things like "Good on you Chris" and "I really look forward to hearing what you have to say about breasts." I really wanted this blog to be a place where women would feel comfortable. A place where women could find out what goes on in the heads of men. To better understand our obsession and feel more comfortable in themselves.

After thinking about it though, I'm not surprised about men's responses to this blog. We have spent all our lives hiding our deepest thoughts about breasts. Sure we all know the locker room talk. We jostle each other and make jokes. But we never really talk about how breasts make us feel. We find it easy to say "She's got great t***." Not so easy to say "I think she's quite beautiful." Certainly we would shake in our boots to say how we are moved by a women's breasts without adding some element of power.

I suspect we are intimidated by women. We feel that women have power over us. They can turn us into drivelling absolute submission just be showing us their breasts. So just like the bully, we gang together to have power over women. Our joking, jostling and crude remarks are all a mask to hide our insecurity.

So that strikes at the heart of the reason for this blog. I am tired of wearing the mask. I want to "out" myself as a breast watcher and talk openly about what Calendar Girl calls "what is". Let's admit it. We men like breasts. At least many or most of us do. We are mesmerised by them. Sometimes this makes the women we admire very uncomfortable. So by trying to get closer to them we push them away. Just like when we were in primary school and when we liked a girl we would pull her hair.

So let's talk about this. So we amongst ourselves may understand how we feel and the women we love may also understand. So we can understand more fully what it is like to be a woman and women can understand more fully what we feel towards them. From there we can understand between us how we can act and experience each other.

In the next couple of days I will post some references to authors who have inspired my thinking.

I am interetsted in your comments.