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Moms Stage Nurse-In To Protest Public Breastfeeding Ban
Just as I predicted last week, the little city of Forest Park, Ga., is seeing a whole lot of angry mamas baring their breasts in protest over the new breastfeeding ban the city put in place.
Moms staged a nurse-in at Forest Park’s city hall, with about 200 women showing up at the protest. That’s probably more exposed breasts than the city has ever seen at one time before. Nice going, city officials. You’ve really put a stop to your public nudity problem now.
The city may revise their new law in two weeks, and is considering doing so to remove the language about breastfeeding. If they don’t, I foresee plenty more nurse-ins at the city hall. Breastfeeding women don’t like being told when and where they can feed their babies. We like to feed them when they’re hungry, just like bottle-feeding parents do. There’s nothing lewd about using a breast for it’s evolutionary purpose.
As Margaret Hartmann says over at Jezebel:
There’s no reason to ban breastfeeding older toddlers. It promotes the idea that breastfeeding is strange and shameful, and police officers have better things to do than interrogating breastfeeding moms about whether their child is 23 or 26-months-old.
Few breastfeeding moms will really be affected by this law. Only 7 percent of babies are still nursing at 18 months, when the CDC stops tracking these things. That shouldn’t matter. For the few who are, breastfeeding is an integral part of their lives, and they should be allowed to do it undisturbed. For those who wean their babies before their second birthdays, you still benefit from a legal climate that seeks to support and promote breastfeeding rather than looking for ways to hem it in.
The Jezebel article hilariously suggests that perhaps they were trying to put a stop to public displays of kinky sex focusing on breastmilk fetishes. If only the answer were something that bizarre. Sadly, this is just another case of ignorance about breastfeeding creating a stupid law that can only harm mothers and babies while helping no one.
Would you participate in a nurse-in to protest anti-breastfeeding laws?
Photo: Tim & Selena Middleton
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7 Comments
Mira commented on May 25 11 at 2:18 pmAbsolutely I would participate!
eB commented on May 25 11 at 3:10 pmI was there on Monday! Nice, peaceful demonstration. My 4 year old saw a bunch of friends from school and thought it was a fun playdate.
goddess commented on May 25 11 at 8:31 pmNah. Didn’t breast feed – but I’d hold a sign for ya!
Sabrina commented on May 26 11 at 9:50 amOh hell yeah I would; I was ever-so-slightly disappointed that my own nursing-in-public saga was resolved without requiring one. It would have to be with signs though; I’m on a 10 month lactation break.
jessi commented on May 26 11 at 7:56 pmin a heartbeat!
Zuli commented on Jun 04 11 at 7:27 pmOf course! No one should tell me I can’t feed my child when he’s hungry.
lael commented on Jul 20 11 at 7:59 pmIf I still nursed my little guy I certainly would! My breasts are on break until I have another baby….lol.
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