Breastfeeding in public

[Paheli00]

Re: Breastfeeding in public

@Pisiform

its like saying since you are feeding the baby in public, I would call all the neighborhood boys and make them watch you since they haven’t seen boobies. Even though it is not illegal, its not right either. Common sense!

Doesn’t common sense tell us that there are pervets/creeps/jerks out there, and we should do everything in power to protect ourselves? Its not right for someone to steal my car either but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to lock it. As for the neighborhood boys thing…well yea that could happen. So a woman who is 100% comfortable breastfeeding in public all of a sudden becomes uncomfortable if 10 guys show up and want to witness this natural, non-sexual act?

@somegroovychick

Because the only reason you would take a picture of it is to make it sexual, either for your consumption or someone else’s. Security cameras are not used for that purpose and neither are the security officers viewing the footage getting their jollies out of it.

1. He could have taken it to make fun of it or just share it in his FB/twitter whatever as a “Look what I saw today…”. Its not 100% certain that he would have used this for his own sexual satisfaction.

2. Re: Security cameras. You actually would be surprised how often employees are fired for mis-using security footage. It’s not uncommon for creepy employees to use footages from elevators, nights clubs where drunk people do stupid things and other random places in a sexual manner. It’s not unheard of that employees make a quick copy of “interesting” things they see in the security footage (ie. for example in hotels or other places where there is someone literally watching the monitor 24/7).

@somegroovychick

Let anyone even try to take a picture of myself, my kids or my family while we are out and about and you can bet there’s gonna be a confrontation.

You would confront of them…yes…but would YOU do anything differently after that or next time? Would you change who you or your family dresses, or the places you visit (you may not go back to that restaurant but you won’t stop going to restaurants period) etc.? In this case…the mother grabbed a napkin to cover herself. In another article…it stated that the mother said she won’t be as comfortable next time breastfeeding in public and will consider using a cover or being less conspicuous. Why? If she doesn’t feel like she did anything wrong…why cover herself with a napkin or be uncomfortable in the future doing the exact same thing she was doing this time?

On a side note…how does this fit into what Islam teaches us and the cultural values we practice in regards to covering our bodies? Desi Muslim women reading this…would you teach your daughters that its ok to uncover her breasts in public for this purpose if she wants to in the future? Would you be 100% comfortable if you were sitting next to your husband/father/FIL etc., and a woman started openly breastfeeding in the table next to you (or close by where she was clearly visible)?