It’s undeniable that breasts are an important part of a woman’s life. From the time that she is a little girl, trying her mother’s bras on for fun, through puberty and into womanhood, breasts are so much more than just another body part.

The primary biological function of the breast is to nourish babies. Feeding the next generation is a sign of fertility and empowerment. To be able to innately nourish the young is perceived as honorable. This ability is not seen in male breasts. Despite having nipples, male breasts don’t really have a true function. Breastfeeding symbolizes a critical component of motherhood as new mothers who are unable to breastfeed may have feelings of inadequacy, despite knowing that it may not be her fault.

Breasts have always symbolized womanhood and femininity. Almost as a right of passage for the developing teen girl, it is exciting to transition into “training bras” and look more curvy during the high school years. As teenage girls begin to notice teenage boys, their desire to look more attractive brings their focus to breast development.

As we become women and begin dating, breasts have a new role as a sexual organ. Touching, caressing, or stimulating the breasts sends signals to the brain, triggering the release of oxytocin, a neurochemical hormone that is secreted by the pituitary gland. The nipple itself becomes an pleasurable erogenous zone when it’s erect with touched. This stimulation can increase the release of prolactin, which can cause uterus contraction and sexual stimulation.

Not all cultures sexualize breasts. It’s well-known that African cultures do not sexualize breasts as their women commonly wear minimal clothing with their breasts exposed. Western influence has been largely responsible for making breasts publicly sexual. Even in the colonial times, plunging necklines and pushed up breasts with tiny, corseted waistlines were considered attractive. Advertisements in the 1970s to 1990s associated the allure of breasts with the “macho manly” desires, such as with beer, sporting events with sexualized cheerleaders, and cigarettes. The business of lingerie boomed as women became more comfortable with their bodies. Into the early 2000s, women using their bodies as a source of income as strippers became more normalized. Nowadays, Instagram models are able to make an income by taking sexy photos in their own bedrooms.

It’s interesting to see the significance of breasts come full circle as the recent decades have focused on breast health again. One in 8 women will have breast cancer in their lifetime, a sobering statistic that has focused our attention back onto breast health. Our treatments for breast cancer have also evolved from radical mastectomies that had a high morbidity and mortality rate to various breast reconstruction techniques. Why is it so important to recreate a breast mound? Because breasts symbolize femininity and empower women.

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