Thanks to Tiffani Darden for forwarding me this link about a protest at an Orlando Chick-Fil-A related to patrons' rights to breastfeed in the restaurant without "covering up". Having asked a breastfeeding mother to cover her baby while feeding, the establishment became the subject of a peaceful protest during which the restaurant was filled with mothers breastfeeding their babies. This has also been a topic on local radio shows in Cleveland of late and I've never really understood why it is such a point of contention in this country. I don't recall the same kinds of outcries in other countries about seeing people feeding babies in public. As a mother myself, I want to point out that breastfeeding in plastic chairs in fast food restaurants is hardly a comfortable endeavor, and most mothers don't do it in order to show off the wonder of motherhood (or to show off our breasts). We do it to stop the screaming that would inevitably ensue and probably annoy patrons a lot more than the breastfeeding. Most of us are happy to cover up our babies if practicable, but sometimes the logistics are too difficult depending on the situation. I was always grateful for shops and restaurants that included mothers' rooms where you could quietly sit in peace out of public view in a more comfortable chair, so maybe businesses could move more in this direction?
Chicken (&) Breasts
Posted by
4
4
Thanks for posting this. The news video is good. I especially like the caption for the obligatory "other side" interview – "Neil Drouin – concerned about rights."
Yes – I too wondered if they could have come up with a better caption, say, "concerned about breasts".
As a man, I'd say that almost nothing is less sexually exciting that seeing a woman nurse another man's baby.
Unless you're making a point to stare, it's really hard to notice a nursing mother in a restaurant or other public space.
Most (but not all) of the people who have issues with breastfeeding in public are men. And they have a way of talking about their discomfort — their inability to look away, especially — that suggests doing some exploring a good therapist might really help.
Show me a man who is squicked out by public breastfeedng and I'll show you a man with issues about women and sexuality.