I'm amazed by the question posed by Blinded : were the women of certain ethnic groups in Sarawak and Bali who were bare-breasted inviting sexual assault? The answer is definitely no.

But the question prompted me to question further: why is it blameless for modern men to be topless at home or even in public, but erotic, indecent and sinful for women to be topless openly lest the female breasts arouse men's sexual desire? When men are topless, at best it is normal, at worst it is only sexy. Why there is such a double standard applied in our society?

Orang Asli women in 1980s were still topless even in front of Orang Asli men, and no one, including the men, raised their eyebrows. However, when the so-called civilised people like us, no matter men or women, appeared, they would immediately cover their breasts. Why? Because it was the way we, people who have different attitudes about female breasts from them, stared at them and that scared them!

It shows that there are widespread cultural differences in male and female attitudes about female breasts and the role they play in sexual attraction. How did modern men and women become so obsessed with female breasts as objects of sexual desire and attraction?

In the so-called primitive societies, the female breast was seldom covered. In all types of ancient art medium, the female breast was usually exposed. The male obsession or societal taboo with female breasts is a fairly recent phenomenon from a historical viewpoint.

In Ancient Egypt, women accented their breasts with primitive cosmetics and exotic scents. However, body painting began much earlier with primitive man and female breasts received far less focus than facial features. In truth, there are no ancient social or cultural precedents to explain the current belief that female breasts are sexual magnets for males.

Female breasts and sexuality did not become strongly connected until the repressive patriarchal age when women were expected to cover more of their bodies. From a biological viewpoint, female breasts play a minor role in the initial reproductive process. Although essential to the propagation of the species as a source of food for the newborn, the importance of breast feeding has been technologically minimised in the modern world.

As a sexual response organ, the breast plays an important role but no more than the hundreds of other erogenous zones widely spread over the female body. Yet, the modern society is so obsessed with the female breasts.

Strangely, during this patriarchal era, the female breast reached a zenith of sorts, as women's clothing was deliberately and provocatively designed to emphasise, enlarge, and expose as much of the female breast as possible without showing the nipples. Thereafter in the modern society, the female breast continues its onward march towards becoming a social icon and sexual projectile!