The Year In Review: Ten Breast Displays of 2011

December 31, 2011, 5:50 pm | By Elisabeth Dale

This year’s titillating breast stories touched on every aspect of boob ownership. Fashion designers and critics argued over how to cover budding breasts. Scientists bared conflicting studies and opinions on breast health.

Activists took another look at breast cancer awareness campaigns and cause marketing. And the breast of 2011 ended as it began: with the public and media obsessed with their display.

Here are my top ten picks for the most newsworthy boob stories of 2011:

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1. ‘Tween Lingerie Uproar. Abercrombie & Fitch introduced push-up bras for 8 year old girls, which earned them the award for worst product of 2011. A French lingerie designer created a line of “loungerie” underwear for four to 12-year-old girls. Everyone had an opinion on dressing not-yet-developed breasts.

2. Best Breast Safety. Experts recommended that all active girls and women wear a proper sports bras in order to prevent damage to delicate breast tissue.

3. Breast Implant Ups and Downs. After years of questions, consumer complaints, and even product recalls, silicone breast implants are found to be safe. Sure, they won’t last forever, but neither will a knee or hip replacement. The French government, though, called for the removal of thousands of such devices due to safety concerns.

4. Mammography Guidelines Debated, Again. Numerous studies revealed that mammograms may not save women’s lives. Another report found that some breast tumors disappeared without treatment. What is clear is that women should take charge of their own breast health.

5. Uncharitable Breast Cancer Non-Profits. The big business of breast cancer fundraising was shown to attract some less than charitable characters.

6. Pink Ribbon Ties. The founder of the pink ribbon marketing movement, Estee Lauder, died at age 75. A new documentary, Pink Ribbons, Inc. exposed the history and effectiveness of pink ribbon cause marketing campaigns. Psychologists concluded that “pink” awareness campaigns can damage efforts to educate women about breast cancer issues.

7. Booming Breast Milk Market. The good news in a down economy? It paid to sell your excess breast milk, but where and when to buy this hot commodity was a matter of debate.

8. Boobs Televised. The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show broke TV ratings records while models credited their post-baby bodies with giving them more “womanly curves.” VS Angel Miranda Kerr’s lactating breasts spilled out of a $2.5 million bra.

9. Boobs Vilified. NASCAR’s Kasey Kahne took to the Twittersphere to berate a woman for breastfeeding in public, and then promptly apologized for his boorish behavior. It’s unclear who the real boob was in this story.

10. Boobs Galvanized. New moms occupied Target stores and staged “nurse ins” to bring attention to the chain’s family-unfriendly breastfeeding policies. No word yet on whether any Victoria’s Secret models participated in the protests.