More like horrendous. And apparently, as Copyranter reports on Animal New York, no one is laughing:

The Kraft women are furious and the men embarrassed. That's understandable, especially considering that the Kraft CEO is a woman.

Okay: Chicken talk is full of ridiculous stuff — was it Frank Perdue who said "My breasts are as tender as my thighs"? But doesn't this qualifiy as sexual harassment in the workplace? Someone thought it was cheeky, or clever, or funny, but it comes off as rude and crude. It's an awkward campaign. Surely the idea was to grab people's attention, but it's been done in the worst possible way. At least they didn't incorporate the retro catchphrase, "And I helped!"

Saggy Tit Joke Right in The Kraft Headquarters Lobby [Animal New York]

Anyone whose been to a Renaissance Festival has certainly seen the wenches. They're a staple of festival life and pretty hard to miss, due in part to the popularity of low-cut bodices and corsets. According to Pam Taylor, owner of a shop called Bullseye Designs, bodices are by far the best-seller. "If it weren't for breasts, I'd be out of business," she says.

The breast-baring styles of Ren Faires gives the fantasy world a strange feel, according to Rebecca Bengal, who chronicled her visit to the Maryland Renaissance Festival for the Washington Post. Bengal points out that the surreal world of the Ren Faire can often come to feel like walking through a beer ad that has been hastily dressed in medieval garb:

For men, a reimagined Renaissance era becomes more quintessentially American than English, a little like wandering around in a beer commercial: corny jokes, scantily clad women and, of course, beer. For the Renaissance wenches, as Madam Flo said, it is a little different: a chance to exhibit a part of themselves that they are unable to display in normal life.

While there are many different reasons one may want to dress up in a bodice decorated with mice and fox tails, some women are just happy to have a socially acceptable place where their cups can overfloweth. College student Todd Chappell helpfully explains why this is so great for the women folk: "These are women who are a little larger than most, but they come to the festival, and they feel beautiful."

Chappell's statement about the wenches of the Faire reflects both sides of the bodice-schism. On one hand, many women do appreciate the chance to let it all hang out, but on the other, many of them don't appreciate being constantly ogled by men like Chappell. The previously-mentioned Madam Flo finds the sexy outfits straight up empowering. "Here I get to let my hair down, figuratively, and actually I think people just take it as mutual flirting. They don't think, 'Oh, my God, I'm going to bed with her tonight,'" she says. "Back in the Renaissance, we would have been barmaids or trollops or whatever. We're reclaiming the name." I think many of us have, at some point or another, enjoyed dressing up in costume for exactly this reason. Ren Faires, like Halloween, give many women a chance to be much more overtly sexual than they normally would feel comfortable, and because of its status as a sort of suspended reality, judgment is often suspended as well.

But the feeling of safety may be as much of an illusion as the rest of the event. One woman admits that she no longer dresses up for the festival because of all the unwanted attention she received. "I got too many comments, things that were inappropriate, beyond what is okay in everyday life." Some men take the Ren Faire as an opportunity to go much further than they normally would. She continues, "I feel the wench thing gives some people a license to be creepy—or at least they think it does." Which is, I suppose, a sort of unsurprising problem. Ren Faires provide a temporary space in which people can act out certain fantasies, and for an unfortunate number of men, the cave-man mentality fits all too well with the escapist theme.

Long Day's Journey.... Into Knights [Washington Post]
The Lure Of The Renaissance (photo gallery) [Washington Post]

Twitter users were uninterested in McCain's reading choices, but were apparently very concerned about her decision to show them the tops of her breasts. A flurry of insults (now "temporarily unavailable") prompted her to tweet:

so I took a fun picture not thinking anything about what I was wearing but apparently anything other than a pantsuit I am a slut, this is

why I have been considering deleting my twitter account, what once was fun now just seems like a vessel for harassment

Later, she was more contrite:

I do want to apologize to anyone that was offended by my twitpic, I have clearly made a huge mistake and am sorry 2 those that are offended.

Did McCain really make a "huge mistake" by posting a picture of herself, fully clothed, with a book? It's tempting to say that she must've known people would be looking at her tits. However, McCain is clearly well-endowed in this department, and a tank top that might look like demure sleepwear on a smaller-chested woman looks revealing on her. Yes, she's been on camera a lot, but she's also 24 years old, and she's probably not used to being photographed without someone around to style her. She might have been legitimately unaware that her photo looked kind of cheesecakey.

Then there's the issue of who the fuck cares. LA Times blogger Johanna Neuman writes that, "if she's hurt by the reaction, you can only imagine how her parents feel." And Twitter user uselessgoo echoes, "I bet papa McCain is REAL happy." But John McCain is probably aware that his daughter has breasts. And given that she is in fact wearing a shirt over them, I doubt he's really all that scandalized. All Meghan McCain has really done is turn the image of the buttoned-up, hyper-conservative Republican woman on its head, which she's been doing for a while anyway. Twitter user ReikoEoh writes,

It makes me laugh bc she's so "Unrepublican-like" and upfront about everything; not the usual GOP hypocrite. So rad!

Showing off your boobs may not determine whether or not you're a hypocrite, but it does make Megan McCain look "Unrepublican-like," and thus it may be kind of a smart move. As we mentioned earlier, McCain is getting a lot of press as a young, cool, socially liberal Republican, and this picture — on Twitter, no less — can only strengthen that perception. It might also help drive traffic to her latest venture, a column at The Daily Beast, where she recently wrote about Jessica Simpson, another public figure whose breasts have gotten a lot of attention. Blogger Adam Ostrow writes,

That seems unlikely, as the buzz created is no doubt helping her stats over at The Daily Beast, and her account has become an important medium for promoting her work. Before signing off for the night, she even posted a link to her latest post. Ultimately, this just might add up to a savvy social media play, even if unintentional.

McCain probably shouldn't delete her Twitter account just yet.

Meghan McCain Twitter Photo Causes Stir [Detroit Free Press]
McCainBlogette [Twitter]
Meghan McCain Exposes Her Cup Size On Twitter — Maybe Republicans Really Are Out Of Ideas [LA Times]
Meghan McCain's Twitter Photo Creates Drama [Mashable]
Stop The Fat Jokes! [The Daily Beast]

A straight-up gorgeous, dream wedding gown.


Down to the color, I feel like we all had this pillowcase under our heads at at least one sleepover of the 1980s.


What are you looking at? What, my completely transparent lace suit? Get your mind out of the gutter, pervert.


And if you came upon this woman on the street, it would be a tough call: to stop her and whisper, "um, I think you forgot your camisole" or assume it was deliberate?


Aw, digging this nod to old-school Valentino glam.


This one? Yeah, not so much.


For the arcangel in your life.

[Images via Getty]

I'd forgotten about this incident until the other day, when my boyfriend accidentally hit me in the boob when I spun around too quickly as he leaned in for a hug. I instantly did the "I'm in pain" inhale and grabbed myself, and not in a sexy way, mind you, but in an "oh my god, the pain! The pain!" kind of way, and my poor befuddled boyfriend, still mid-hug, started yelling, "What happened?!" as I continued to feel myself up on the kitchen floor.

"It hurts when you get hit there," I whimpered, displaying my inability to choose a proper word to describe a part of my own anatomy. This is another problem: I hate using "breast" in everyday conversation, as it sounds very clinical (and, admittedly, using it still reminds me of breast cancer, which my grandmother passed away from), but the alternatives are all so stupid that I always feel like an idiot, no matter what term I use. I usually go with boob. Classy, I know. I'm working on it.

In any case, my boyfriend was not aware that it hurts to get hit in the boobular area. I suppose this is because he grew up without any sisters, and also because he doesn't go around punching people in the chest, but he was slightly stunned when I informed him that yes, it hurts, and that it also hurts for women when we accidentally get hit in the pubic area as well, even though men swear we can't possibly understand the pain of getting "kicked in the balls."

I'm sure many of you, like myself, have walked into the corner of your desk, or hit yourself with a door or drawer and nailed your pubic bone (again, not in the sexy way). It is ridiculously painful. It's not surprising, considering that your vaginal area, like your breasts, consists of multiple nerve endings, and when you take an accidental knock to either, it's fairly unpleasant, unless you're into that kind of thing. I did this at work a few months ago and had to half-dance into the staff bathroom to let out a silent scream. I'm pretty sure my co-worker, also a woman, saw it happen, as she gave me an understanding nod whilst trying not to laugh.

I'll admit that for a while, when I was a teenager, anyway, I wasn't sure if there was something wrong with me, as I noticed that it really did hurt whenever I got hit in either area (I am ridiculously clumsy) and none of my friends had ever talked about it, at least not on the level that the boys I went to school with did, who constantly bitched about the pain of getting hit in "the junk" while simultaneously challenging each other to idiotic ball kick-offs. But after a friend of mine took an errant pitch to the boob during a softball game (ouch), we all started sharing stories about various accidental boob injuries, and I realized it wasn't weird at all, just not talked about very often.

My friend may be right, in that I won't ever know what it's like to be kicked in the balls, but I can say that yes, getting accidentally knocked in the breast or the crotch hurts for women as well. I'm not trying to compare the pain or say that one is stronger than another, as that would be unfair and a bit absurd, I'm just pointing out that although we may not talk about it as often, it does hurt for women, and if nothing else, we should all try to be more careful out there. If you're going to end up getting to second base with yourself on the kitchen floor, let's try to make it for all the right reasons.

[Image via Natalie Dee.]

This boobtastic Rethink Breast Cancer ad "and a couple more like it," according to the LA Times's Dan Neil, "seem to answer a question that must have nagged breast-cancer-awareness advocates: How to get men to care? With rare exceptions, men don't suffer from breast cancer. The earnest, sad-violins spots invoking moms and grand-moms of the past probably haven't gained much traction among men." Of course not! Why would we ever expect men to care about their moms and grand-moms dying of cancer if the issue isn't marketed to get their attention? (And they say feminists have pathetically low expectations of men.) Says Neil on behalf of Dude Nation, "These ads make the equation explicit: More breast cancer equals fewer awesome breasts. Brilliant. Where do I send my check? The only people who could object to such ads are advocates for other kinds of cancer awareness. "

Setting aside the implication that the average straight male has thus far been too fucking stupid to connect the dots between breast cancer and "fewer awesome breasts" — what was I saying about low expectations? — there's actually a pretty good reason to object to the ads, regardless of any affiliation with other cancer awareness projects. However devastating mastectomies may be, the somewhat larger point here is that breast cancer equals fewer awesome women. And if that point is lost on Dude Nation, the problem is not with the ads, it's with a culture that says women's primary value lies in our sexuality. I mean, seriously, is it even possible to illustrate that any more clearly? Dead human beings of the female persuasion = meh. Lost tits = crisis!

Despite my feminism and general cantankerousness, I am often a fan of pragmatic solutions, even when they irritate me politically. 9 times out of 10, I'd be like, "More money for breast cancer research? Can't really complain." But I'm sorry, this is that 10th time, and I'm fucking complaining. If it's really true that men can't be bothered to care about second most common cause of cancer death in most women (and the number one cause in Hispanic women) unless you hit them over the head with images of vulnerable titties, then I would like to talk to a realtor on Mars, but I still don't want to see an ad like this.

But oh wait, it's a trend. Neil also recently saw a lung cancer awareness ad featuring a close-up of lingerie-clad boobs ("La Perla? I'm just guessing," he adds helpfully) that switches to "an X-ray of her diseased lungs." Gotcha! Lung cancer is even more deadly for women than breast cancer! "The take-away here?" says Neil. "These ads represent a positive cultural change."

Really? That's the take-away?

Fine. You win, Dude Nation. Let's just slap a pair of perky, young hooters on every friggin' PSA for every friggin' cause of death that isn't male-specific. Cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, leukemia, heart disease, AIDS, malaria, drunk driving, you name it. New slogan, for all of them: IF SHE DIES, HER PRETTY BOOBIES GO WITH HER. Hell, why be that conservative, when the stakes are so high? Let's just go with a crotch shot: IF SHE DIES, NO MORE PUSSY FOR YOU.

The important thing here is getting straight men's attention, right? Who could complain?

Breast Cancer Ads Use Lechery For Good [LA Times]

It's not "amazing" to feel the stare of eyes on your bustline. It's often creepy. But then again, I have to live with it all the time and not just one day, on the set of a film, doing it for cash, in the company of Jason Bateman and Kristen Wiig. So maybe I would "kinda like" it then?

[Los Angeles, August 23. Image via Getty]

A woman protests during 'National Go Topless Day' in honor of Women's Equality Day at Venice Beach in Los Angeles on August 23, 2009. The annual protest is held in 7 US cities to promote the idea women have the same constitutional right to be bare chested in public places as men. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

This clip features Ebony, 22, who is a 36 FF. Her issues with her breasts seemed the most serious of any of the featured women, having little to do with clothing or a desired appearance. She says that her breasts—and the attention from men they can bring—have negative connotations for her, because, having developed early and quickly, she believes that they contributed to her molestation at a young age. During the hour-long documentary, she begins to see a therapist to work on how her past experience is affecting her daily life.

Shannon, 22, who wears a 38 G, was also profiled. Growing up as a tomboy who played a lot of sports, she became inactive when she developed breasts, because they made her uncomfortable. The inactivity caused her to gain weight, thus increased her breast size. During the show, she made the decision to become active again, and began working out and riding her bike in an effort to reduce her breast size and increase her self-esteem.

Then there was 24-year-old Rebecca. By most accounts, her breast size seems fairly normal (34 D or 36 C, depending on the bra). She decided to take the most drastic step of all, and went for a breast reduction surgery consultation. Working in the fashion industry, she's unhappy that her breasts are beginning to "droop," and she says that seeing thin models wearing whatever they want has an affect on her psyche. In the end, she decided that she would not work out, or get the surgery, but instead buy clothes tailored to her breast size.

Earlier: Mom Pressures Teen Daughter To Get Implants

The teenager, codenamed Alex, has known for years that he was not destined to live as a woman. The Age reports that as a child, Alex believed everyone in the world was male, and was very upset to learn the truth about his gender. Alex had a troubled past; his father died when he was only five, and when Alex was 10, his mother turned him over to the state, saying that she feared her daughter was "a follower of the devil." When he was 12, Alex went to Family Court to request permission to go on hormone medication to suppress the bodily changes that would come with puberty. He also began wearing diapers to school in order to avoid visiting the girls' bathroom.

In late 2007, Alex appeared in Family Court once again, to seek permission to have his breasts surgically removed. Chief Justice Diana Bryant authorized the mastectomies for Alex, and, in a recent interview with The Age, she explained the reasoning behind this decision. Australian law requires judicial permission for any medical procedure on a minor that is not intended to treat a bodily malfunction or disease. Bryant said she weighed the arguments against allowing the procedure, and believed that it was in the best interests of the minor to perform the surgery, especially since if Alex was forced to wait until he was 18, he would no longer qualify for support from state social services. "Overwhelmingly, the evidence was that it was in his interests. And I made that order. I wanted to make it quickly so that he could have the operation straightaway," said Bryant.

However, some do not agree with allowing minors to make these sorts of life-altering decisions. Medical ethicist Nick Tonti-Filippini argues that since science has not found a biological cause for gender identity disorder, the causes of the condition were probably environmental, and thus subject to change with time. "Genetically, there doesn't seem to be anything different about them," he said. He continued: "What you are trying to do is make a biological reality correspond to [a] false belief." Tonti-Filippini worries that performing gender reassignment surgery puts individuals at "major risk" for suicide. He also cited a Melbourne man who underwent gender reassignment surgery when he was 22, and is now suing the doctors because he regretted the decision. In Tonti-Filippini's opinion, "sex-change operations are just a form of mutilation."

Fortunately for Alex and others like him, the courts had a more progressive take on his condition. After listening to the testimony of several psychiatrists, Bryant decided that no matter what caused Alex to identify as male, he wasn't about to change his tune anytime soon. When asked whether she thinks the court may be leading, rather than reflecting, community values, Bryant said:

"Yes, probably. But only because people don't have to consider it before it happens. If you had a general debate in the community, I suspect you'd get a reasonably conservative view.

But if people were put in the position where they had to decide about a particular case, then I think the majority of people would come to the same conclusion - just on the basis of the evidence, and the level of absolute human unhappiness, and the opportunity to make a real change to somebody's life for the better. That's what it's about."

Court Lets Girl, 17, Remove Breasts [The Sydney Morning Herald]
Young People, Big Decisions [The Age]

[Image via Flickr]

Vanity sizing, as anyone who's ever attempted to shop at Banana Republic knows, is nothing new. And, says the Times, "these days, many women - to their shock or glee - are finding that DD is becoming the new C." What this means is unclear. Either sizing is different, or we actually have bigger breasts on average - due to weight gain or surgical enhancement - or the population is aging, or maybe we're all just fitting our bras properly, thanks to Oprah and Stacey.

The piece acknowledges that a lot of women aren't thrilled to find out they're bigger busted than they imagined, which soothed my ruffled feathers somewhat after the irritating assumptions of that headline. For a lot of us, bra size is a very fraught issue. In my case, I'm the daughter of someone absolutely flat-chested...which became the feminine ideal in my house. When my boobs grew in - generous for my frame - I felt blowsy and trashy, consigned by my mother to a series of granny bras and "size Large" shirts. I took after my grandmother, who confided to me, not particularly helpfully, that her heavy chest was one of the great sadnesses of her life - a life, oddly, not short on genuine tragedies. Breasts never equaled "sexiness" to me - quite the contrary. They spelled unwelcome looks, buckling blouse plackets, hunched shoulders, and an unchosen sexuality that I felt misrepresented the serious young woman I wanted to become. When friends talked about wishing for bigger cup sizes, I was genuinely baffled: each advance through the alphabet felt to me like some kind of shame. The weird part was, I thought other people's curvaceous figures were amazing; it was just on me that the breasts became a sort of horrid alien imposition.

I got over this, to a degree, as one does: good bras, growing up, moving out and healthy relationships all helped me realize that my family was stark raving mad and that I had other things to worry about. But I still wonder when I see assumptions like that behind the Times headline. A friend of mine called me just the other day, downcast, having just been told that she was several bra sizes larger than she'd believed; the revelation, while it objectively contained no judgment, still affected how she thought of herself in relation to the world. In our lifetimes, our breasts and bra sizes change as much as anything in our bodies, and as in all things a degree of mental flexibility is necessary, but it's important for bra merchants and designers to understand that it's a sensitive subject and a bigger deal than it might seem. A little standardization might be nice. Or, as one plastic surgeon in the article says, "I wish they would get their act together and get their sizes straight."

Your Bra Size: The Truth May (Pleasantly) Surprise You [NY Times]

The name of this Japanese game presumably refers to the phrase "tora, tora, tora," code words used by the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor to mean the surprise attack was successful. If you don't want to feed quarters into the notoriously difficult claw machine, a commenter on Gizmodo found that you can order your own boob stress relief ball online at Deal Extreme. [Gizmodo via Buzzfeed]