In our culture, most people assume that men are obsessed with women’s breasts. Men’s fascination is reflected in the huge vocabulary men have developed to discuss them, among them: boobs, tits, jugs, hooters, melons, globes, knobs, headlights, mammaries, ta-ta’s, chest toys, fun bags, and the girls. In addition, ask any woman restaurant server: Low-cut tops with visible cleavage almost always produce better tips. Many women complain that in conversations with men, the guys look at their breasts, not at their faces. And then there’s the old joke about a group of women who apply for a job. Some are more qualified than others. Who gets hired? The one with the biggest breasts.
What Men And Women Think
Just as many women want men with a certain body type (almost always taller than they are), to feel attracted to a woman, many men want a certain breast size—large, medium, or small. But most men like any and all breasts, especially those attached to the women they’re involved with. That’s what researchers at UCLA and Cal State Los Angeles found in a survey of 52,227 heterosexual adults, ages 18 to 65, who responded to an online survey. A majority of the men (56 percent) said they were “satisfied with their partners’ breasts.”
But among the women, only 30 percent felt satisfied with their own. The researchers observed: “Younger and thinner women worried that their breasts were too small. Older and heavier women were concerned about sagging.”
So 70 percent of women—almost three-quarters—say they’re dissatisfied with their breasts. Many of them don’t just fret. They take action. Countless millions of women wear padded bras, and choose fashions that focus attention on or away from their breasts or cleavage, depending on the occasion and how they feel about their chests.
In addition, breast surgery is the number one cosmetic procedure in the U.S. The American Society of Plastic Surgery estimates that every year American women undergo some 300,000 breast augmentations and 100,000 breast reductions. Women who get augmented, typically want a one- or two-cup-size increase, most typically from A or B to C. Women who want reductions typically go one or two cup sizes down.
Men’s breast obsession is clearly sexual. Women’s breasts rank among men’s favorite sex toys. But it’s hard to know exactly where women’s breast obsession comes from. Men certainly play a role. According to the study just mentioned, if 56 percent of men feel satisfied with their partners’ breasts, then 44 per cent of men—a large proportion--feel unsatisfied. Many women who get augmented say their husbands or boyfriends encouraged or pressured them into it.
Fashion also plays a role in women’s breast obsession. From Jane Mansfield’s torpedoes in the 1950s to the small, adolescent chests of today’s top models, breast fashions evolve. But fashion is not destiny. While designers generally favor a petite chest, augmentation is three times as popular as reduction.
Finally, mental health appears to play a role in women’s breast obsession. Women who are sufficiently dissatisfied to have cosmetic surgery also tend to feel dissatisfied with other aspect of their lives, feelings that may include serious depression. Several studies agree that compared with women who live with the breasts they were born with, those who choose augmentation are twice as likely to experience serious depression.
Men and women are both breast-obsessed, but differently. Attention women: Chances are the man in your life likes your breasts better than you do. Attention men: Chances are the woman in your life is critical of her breasts, and would appreciate any reassurance you can provide.
[scroll down for related Questions & Answers]
References
Dixson, B.J. et al. “The Role of Breast Size and Areolar Pigmentation in Perceptions of Women’s Sexual Attractiveness, Reproductive Health, Sexual Maturity, Maternal Nurturing Abilities, and Age,” Archives of Sexual Behavior (2015) 44:1685.
Dixson, B.J. et al. “Eye Tracking of Men’s Preferences for Female Breast Size and Areola Pigmentation,” Archives of Sexual Behavior (2011) 40:51.
Frederick, D.A. et al. “The Barbie Mystique: Satisfaction with Breast Size and Shape Across the Lifespan,” International Journal of Sexual Health (2008) 20:200.
Gueguen, N. “Women’s Bust Size and Men’s Courtship Solicitation,” Body Image (2007) 4:386.
Questions & Answers
I’ve answered more than 12,000 sex questions from people around the world, of all ages, for free. Here are a few that relate to the topic of this post. If you’d like to ask me a question of your own, please go to GreatSexGuidance.com.
Who’s crazy here—me or my wife? We have been married for 24 years. I love it when she wears low-cut tops that show off her beautiful cleavage and breasts. I love the idea that other men are looking at her, seeing how beautiful she is. But she doesn’t like to show off. She says it makes her feel uncomfortable. I say: What’s the harm? Why not? What do you say? Read my response…
Just wondering, do women really enjoy men caressing their breasts and nipple sucking? I really LOVE sucking my wife’s nipples… especially while fingering her vagina as she fondles my penis. How can I make my nipple-sucking so arousing that she begs for more? Read my response…
How can I make my breasts bigger? BTW: I’m a man. Read my response…
😁