I don’t get worked up very often, but reading the comments on this article on ABC News about mothers who staged a “nurse-in” at Targets across the country made my blood boil.
The gist of it is a Target customer was asked to feed her baby in a fitting room when she was breastfeeding out in the open. Target never issued an apology or addressed the issue, so breastfeeding mothers across the country joined together to feed their babies yesterday at Targets across the country.
The part that disgusts me about this article and news story are the comments following the article. People comparing masturbating and defecating in public to breastfeeding in public. All nursing in public amounts to is FEEDING A BABY. People wouldn’t bat an eye at pulling out a bottle to feed a baby, but heaven forbid a breast is used for its intended purpose.
That’s right prude Americans, breasts were designed to feed babies. Breast milk is the perfect nutrition for babies, changing constantly with their needs and uniquely packaged to be ready to consume at the perfect temperature, any time of day.
I don’t care if you formula feed or breastfeed, but as soon as you compare feeding my baby in a public place to masturbating in public, I’ll be pissed off. What is wrong with Americans that it is ok to have breasts popping out of tight shirts all day, but when a mother uses her breast as nature intended it is offensive?
Some of the most disappointing comments are below:
There were some good comments though, like this one:
I posted about the article and its comments on Facebook and a great conversation ensued. I can always count on my friend Matt for some comic relief, so I got a good laugh reading his contribution to the comment section:
So this is what they find offensive:
I certainly wouldn’t want to offend someone feeding my baby in the magazine aisle either, especially when there are covers like this:
Apparently breastfeeding in public has always been a hot topic, which I never knew before I had kids. Even before I was a Mom, it wouldn’t have bothered me to see a baby eating in public. Babies have the right to eat when they’re hungry and not under a tent either, they’re not circus animals for God’s sake! I believe most Moms breastfeed in public without people noticing. Whenever I notice a Mom breastfeeding in public, I simply give her a smile and keep going about my business. It’s pretty simple if you ask me- if you’re offended by a Mom nursing her hungry baby in public, don’t look!
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