Breast love and nipple love is a part of self-love, self-acceptance, and body love.
As one of the few black or brown girls in my Middle School, I was pretty used to folks saying racially outrageous stuff. However, in an all-girls school I was generally spared the inter-gender torment part of the racial divide. This changes when we attempted to create a dating club with some students from a nearby all-boys school.
Each boy had to fill out preferences and dealbreakers, much like we do on dating sites now. This was all great fun until one boy wrote “brown nipples” under his deal breakers. I didn’t know this boy and he didn’t know me, but this was highly personal. Brown nipples! I had brown nipples and so did everyone in my family. Up until that point, at age 12 or 13, I never imagined that my body could just be wrong. (And I don’t know what made this lil boy think he was seeing any breasts or nipples, brown, pink or otherwise.)
Body acceptance means loving our entire bodies. Brown nipples – like all nipples – are beautiful!
Five Awesome Things About Nipples
1. The colors.
Yes, our nipples come in different colors, and thank goodness! How boring life would be if we were all the same. Unfortunately, old beliefs still prevail among some that anything “ethnic” is perceived as lesser or inferior. People in Japan even wear pink nipple makeup to cover up their browner nipples. Yes, that’s not a typo.
Don’t fall for the okey doke. Love the skin you’re in.
2. Nipple-gasms are a real thing.
Nipples are an important erogenous zone for both women and men. Apparently, nipple orgasms are the second most occurring gasms among women. Dr. Herbert Otto, author of “Total Sex” (book link: http://amzn.to/24Ui7G4 ) describes breast orgasms as “happening at the peak of stimulation when the sensation seems to radiate from the breasts.” (Source link: http://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/nipple-orgasm) Kowazonga! So when thinking of your sensual self, don’t neglect your boobies – or allow your partner to either.
Fun fact: On many people the left nipple more sensitive.
3. Our nipples feed our babies.
The main purpose of nipples for mommies is to nourish our babies. All of those railing against breastfeeding are railing against nature. Our magical, nursing breasts produce a liquid food made specifically for each mother’s child. How incredible is that?
4. Nipples come in different sizes.
Mammillated beings is the name for creatures with nipples. Like all mamillated beings, we have nipples that come in different sizes. Yup, different sizes on different bodies — and the same bodies. And file this one under oddly cool body facts: Our nipples and earlobes are spaced the exact same distance apart.
5. Don’t make nipple assumptions.
Erect nipples don’t always mean that we are turned on. It could be cold or your shirt could have just brushed against your nipples. Then there are many of us whose nipples just appear to be harder at all times. Read all about it in “Why Do Men Have Nipples? Hundreds of Questions You’d Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini.” (book link: http://amzn.to/1Yv8UEh)
Nipples can also be controversial. Who can forget when they tried to take Janet Jackson down with nipple-gate? Nipples, as Janet taught us that day, can also wear jewelry. Yes, there’s so much to know about our nipples. Most importantly, you want to know your nipples so that you can see your doctor if anything changes. Odd discharge, lumps, or growths can be indicators that something is wrong.
Free your nipple fears. The human body is a bodacious and beautiful place. We are beautifully and wonderfully made. Enjoy every part of you – even and especially, your delightful nipples.
Abiola Abrams is the author of the award-winning Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love, Manifest Your Miracles meditation album and African Goddess Affirmation Cards. The popular lifestyle guru is also the founder of the Sacred Bombshell Self-Care Kits, blog, web TV show, and online academy at SacredBombshell.com. Follow her on Twitter to continue the discussion about this week’s hot topic, and then email her your burning questions now. Anything you send will be posted anonymously, promise.