4

I have to imagine this question doesn't get asked too often, but I read actress Sienna Miller said her "nipples look like fighter pilots' thumbs" from breastfeeding.

I'm so confused. Do pilots' thumbs have a certain way of looking that is known?

I'm a blogger and want to write about her comment, but I'm looking for some context to explain it to our readers with.

Any ideas?

http://www.eonline.com/news/844242/sienna-miller-prefers-her-postpartum-nipples-they-look-like-fighter-pilots-thumbs

Simon
  • 31,213
  • 4
  • 141
  • 163
SaraBC
  • 57
  • 2
  • I believe the comment is not particular about fighter pilots, rather it is a figure of speech describing the physical changes a female experiences when breast feeding. – kevin Apr 18 '17 at 18:19
  • I could see that, Kevin, but it does leave me wondering why not just say a thumb in general? How specific the imagery was intrigued me.

    Thanks for the reply.

     – SaraBC Apr 18 '17 at 18:22
  • 2
    "[Y]ou could hang two wet duffle coats off them with two bottles of Irn-Bru in the pockets." http://rvincent.digital-nerv.net/tag/kate-moss/ http://showstudio.com/project/in_camera/kate_moss (2003) – Řídící Apr 18 '17 at 18:36
  • But perhaps the original thought was related to the 'thumbs-up' that fighter pilots maybe do a lot. "After startup, when the pilot indicates he is ready to go flying, he will pass the thumbs-up to the Plane Captain." https://fightersweep.com/3864/ask-a-fighter-pilot-hand-signals-on-the-flight-deck/ (on an aircraft carrier, but maybe elsewhere too) – Řídící Apr 18 '17 at 18:56
  • 5
    I edited your title since I cannot see anything "slightly NSFW" about breastfeeding. That said, I am European which might make a difference since we see it as totally normal. – Simon Apr 18 '17 at 19:51
  • 1
    That's funny, Simon. I work for a pregnancy/parenting site, so I'm used to an anything-goes, show-all-the-birth-photos kind of environment. Still, I try and be sensitive to other sites that normally don't discuss nipple shapes.

    I've not only seen it all, but I've been there and done that (having kids) twice. Nonetheless I wouldn't want someone who's browsing aviation at work to get flagged for looking at a post about nipples and have to report to HR. ;)

     – SaraBC Apr 18 '17 at 19:57
  • Thanks for the suggestions, @Keepthesemind.

    (By the way, I don't know if your username is meant to confuse people and make them click to look for what they're supposed to keep in mind, but it got me...twice. Kudos.)

     – SaraBC Apr 18 '17 at 19:58
  • 4
    You may want to ask on the English language and usage stack exchange site about the origins of the phrase – Notts90 Apr 19 '17 at 12:12

1 Answers1

3

In some fighter aircraft there are several functional switches on the control stick--switching from guns to missles and vice-versa, aircraft trim, firing the weapon(s), etc. A fighter pilot's thumb can get a real workout and over time that could result in a very muscular thumb.

Lancer
  • 31
  • 1
  • 1
    Even so, the muscles that actuate the thumb are not in the thumb proper, but in the hand. – J W Apr 18 '17 at 20:51
  • Lancer - Just as a nipple can get a real workout, right? Not that I've ever heard of a muscular nipple... That makes some sense all the same, though. Thanks. – SaraBC Apr 18 '17 at 20:51