Breast

Breasts was the collective term for physical protrusions of mammary glands on most species, both male and female. In most humanoid species, females were distinguished from males through larger breasts, which was commonly a source of sexual attraction. Male breasts were typically useless, while females might use theirs for breast feeding. (; )
==Cultural significance==
Most cultures in the known galaxy required women to cover their breasts in public, and it was considered shameful to appear in public with them exposed. One exception to this rule was Betazoid wedding ceremonies, in which all attendees were naked. (; ). If, for some reason, a woman ended up topless in public, she would frequently use an arm or any object to prevent her breasts from being seen by others.
Such was the case when was captured and impounded by . The crew communicated through the EPS conduits to formulate a plan to escape. The only escape route was through the air vents and Ensign Hoshi Sato was small enough to fit. When she made her way to the outside of Lieutenant Malcolm Reed's room, her shirt was caught on a hook and she tried to get free, but ended up losing her shirt while sliding through. When she opened Reed's door, she held her hands over her breasts and told him to not say anything and to fetch her a shirt. ()
Until the reforms of Zek, Ferengi females were required by law to not wear clothing. () They also were prohibited from leaving their homes, due to the taboo of a Ferengi female appearing nude in public. In order to get around this, many Ferengi females would tightly wrap their breasts and pretend to be male in order to acquire profit and to travel away from Ferenginar. Such was the case of in 2370, who in addition to wrapping her breasts, also enhanced her lobes in order to leave Ferenginar and work at Quark's. () Additionally, in order to fill in for the ill Ishka, working on Zek's behalf, to prove the value of females to Nilva an influential FCA commissioner, Quark underwent cosmetic surgery and posed as a female Ferengi named Lumba. ()
Quark strongly implied that he hired Leeta due to the size of her breasts. ()
Some dabo girls at Quark's wore dresses that showed part of their breasts so as to appear attractive to the male customers, who would look more at them than the game and thus lose money. ()
==Additional references==
The protrusion of a man's breast was mentioned in "A British Tar". (). "Breast", in this case, was used in the classical sense, referring to the chest in general.
"His eyes should flash,
and his breast protrude,
And this should be his customary attitude."
Audrid Dax (in Quark's body during Jadzia's zhian'tara) thought there was "nothing quite like" holding a baby to one's breast. ()
While on the Ba'ku planet, Deanna Troi asked Beverly Crusher if she had noticed how her boobs had started to firm up as a result of the metaphasic radiation that affected that planet, to which Crusher replied, "Not that we care about such things in this day and age," though Troi's snickering reaction suggested otherwise. Data, who overheard this conversation, repeated it to Worf. ()
On the , Klingons made fun of William T. Riker, who was posted on the ship to learn about Klingon culture. They told him that if he was afraid of the food, they could try to convince a female to breastfeed him. ()
The females on Draylax were known for having three breasts. Travis Mayweather once joked he knew it "first-hand, second-hand, third-hand". () The feline dancer on Nimbus III also had three breasts. ()
Several pieces of art, like Grande Odalisque and a statue on Starbase 173, depicted bare-chested women. (; )
File:Grande Odalisque detail.jpg|Grande Odalisque
File:Starbase 173 statue.jpg|A statue aboard Starbase 173
==External link==
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de:Brust
Category:Anatomy