Designed Sustainability

Oh, boobies. 

Ever notice how, on European television, the human form is celebrated and treated as something natural – and how it’s covered and draped and stigmatized in the U.S.?  Well, U.S. news got a little closer to its European counterparts on October 29 of this year. 

To kick off a four-part series on breast cancer, WJLA News in Washington, D.C. showed fully exposed female breasts.  One set belonged to a cancer survivor, who said she hoped the event would help educate women more fully on how to give a self-exam.

While some conflict was raised regarding the timing of the series start (the first day of sweeps, you know), the station claimed that the story itself was of paramount interest.  I suppose that makes sense.  After all, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. 

But I also think that maybe, just maybe, showing breasts in a clinical, non-sexy way could also be the station’s way of telling the public that objectification is so last century.  I hope everyone else gets the memo.