Why did god/God give male mammals, including humans, useless nipples?

Question

“Neither sex is completely male or female. Females have functional, well-developed mammary glands. Males also have mammary glands, undeveloped and nonfunctional although equipped with nipples. Males have a penis for delivering sperm, but females have a small, nonfunctional equivalent--the clitoris. These are secondary sexual features, to be sure, but the difference between the sexes is in the degree of their development, not a matter of absolute presence or absence.” (Britannica 2001 Deluxe Edition)

“Male and female are not separate entities, shaped independently by natural selection. Both sexes are variants upon a single ground plan, elaborated in later embryology. Male mammals have nipples because females need them and the embryonic pathway to their development build precursors in all mammalian fetuses, enlarging the breasts later in females but leaving them small (and without evident function) in males.” (Stephen Jay Gould, Adam’s Navel)

Answer 1

an evolutionary thing but guys would look really icky without them.

Answer 2

Without Nipples the Male Chest Looks Strange - The nipples provide a focus point for the male chest. They direct the eye to the curve of the pectoral muscle.

Men and women are mammals (from the Latin mamma breast) a species that have breasts and feeds its young with milk. The human embryo has tissue that will evolve into breasts. Both male and female babies are born with nipples and ducts intact. It is the presence of genes that direct hormones to differentiate the breast tissue. The Y chromosome stimulates hormones such as testosterone to form male features.

Insufficient or defective testosterone, poor tissue responsiveness, or an unbalance of other hormones like Estrogen and Prolactin can cause female like breasts even in men (Gynecomastia). At birth, the small amount of the mother's estrogen in the baby can result in small breasts that usually resolve. There can be an inbalance of hormones during male puberty that can result in temporary breast growth, which for most resolves. There are many medical problems and drugs that can cause male breast growth.

The nipple is actually the central protrusion inside of the pigmented areola. There is a thin muscle just under the skin that when stimulated, tends to flatten the puffed male nipple areola. This muscle when stimulated in a breast feeding woman, projects the nipple for the baby. Nerves that innervate the nipple / areola can produce pleasure for both men and women.

And this is my own note: Since you don't have a clitoris, you don't fully understand, I suppose. See, the whole purpose of sex is production. If something feels good, you tend to do it more often. Well, when the clitoris is stimulated, it feels good. Therefore, it promotes sex.

Answer 3

All mammals start out as females. Some embryos become male, others don't.

Here is a quote from the following website:

http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/library/chicago/fetalgrowth.htm

"...All early fetuses are female. If testes are present, testosterone, the male hormone, is secreted beginning about 8 weeks and those fetuses become male. The rest remain female..."

Answer 4

That reminds me of an old "Kids in the Hall" skit. Two people sitting at the breakfast table when he mentions he has nipples and they need attention. It ends with her saying she won't suck on them because he pees out of them. "No I don't? I pee out of my dick."

She runs out of the room screaming and spitting. I always thought "man, I bet that dude is going to regret that."

Oh yeah, I agree with your point by the way.

"Time for a Biology lesson... The clitoris is very "functional"... it can produce an awesome orgasm when stimulated properly... In fact some women can't get a orgasm if the clitoris isn't stimulated..." Kind of like a penis, but outside of getting off and that's a sin!), it serves no use. With hormones and surgery you can turn it into a penis. you can artificially "evolve" it. No disagreements though.

Answer 5

Time for a Biology lesson... The clitoris is very "functional"... it can produce an awesome orgasm when stimulated properly... In fact some women can't get a orgasm if the clitoris isn't stimulated...

As for guys' nipples? I'm not sure...

Answer 6

Well actually . . . believe it or not, some men can lactate. See this Wikipedia article on the subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male_lactation
See also this rather odd article regarding breastfeeding men:
http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/miscarticles/milkmen.html
I'm not sure if that is what God intended, though!

Answer 7

Why do you mind about things you do not exactly know?
It was said that pancreas was a useless part of body but now we all know it is useful.
What if you did not have, it would not be good for appearance (I do not know functionality of them in male)

Answer 8

As disgusting as it might sound males can produce milk. Regardless, I do believe that the human body is not flawless.

Answer 9

Actually, I read in a magazine (a real magazine) that this dude was breastfeeding his child after it was born.

He did it just to see if he could and it worked.

Answer 10

Yours may be useless, mine are highly sensitive and I like them, they give me pleasure! but they are very tiny ...like mosquitoe bites really...how do I make them stand out more?
I know a woman who says her husband's nipples give milk..well I have not witnessed this but it sounds most bizarre to me!..anyone else out there know anything about this?

Answer 11

Well they could be used in some time in the future.