League of Maternal Justice

Museum tells Mom: stop breastfeeding in public or leave

It's still shocking to me each time a story like this crops up:  A couple of days ago in Albany, the Kelly family was visiting the New York State Museum with their three young children, age 5, 3 and 4 months.  While breastfeeding the youngest, Kristen Kelly was approached by a museum employee and told to move to the washroom or leave. 

Nice.  Everyone loves feeding a baby in the crapper.  Oh sure, the have a chair in the wc but that's not the point.  Why was she asked to stop breastfeeding and to move to the loo (twice)?  Why was she made to feel like she was doing something "wrong"?

The museum stance to the media is there is "no such policy prohibiting breast feeding anywhere".  Yet when the husband called to complain, he was told by a museum spokesperson that "he was not surprised Kristen was told to stop".

My guess? This wasn't the first time it's happened.

Kristen Kelly felt insulted and humiliated from this event but stood her ground.  She didn't go to the ladies room.  Instead she finished under the stare of the employee who had come around again. 

In my opinion, the Kelly family did the right things.  They stood up for the right to breast feed anywhere in public which is the law in New York.  They contacted the museum to complain, to let them know the employee's actions were wrong.  Concerned with the reaction they received, they contact the media.   I'd probably do the exact same thing.

That's what the league is all about, fighting injustices against the practices of mothering.

In an interview with NBC affiliate WNYT, Kristen said

"I have a right to feed my child where ever I want to feed him".

Way to go Kristen, stick up for your rights.  The League will be definitely be following this story to make sure justice prevails.

P.S. Hey, whoever that employee was at the Museum of New York? You Suck.

guest post by motherbumper

You Rocked The Breast Fest - But We're Not Done Yet!

Congratulations, Boob Ninjas - the Breast Fest has been a great success! You video-nursed, you blogged about nursing, and you posted photo after photo after photo. YOU ROCK.

But we're not done with Mission: Up With Boobies yet. We've yet to see any movement from Facebook on their policies v.v. breastfeeding pics. We're waiting for a response to the letter below; in the meantime, keep posting buttons and writing about the importance of celebrating images of nursing mothers, not censoring them. And keep spreading the word around - steal this letter, and pass it around, and post it! The more voices, the better!

THE LETTER:

Dear Facebook,

We represent an online community of parents who are concerned about Facebook's recent actions against photos of breastfeeding mothers. We have, in fact, launched an online crusade to voice our concerns and to urge like-minded parents and others to deactivate their Facebook accounts until Facebook issues a clear statement exempting breastfeeding photos from the categories of 'obscene' or 'inappropriate' photographs in its terms of use.

It is our understanding that Facebook does not have a specific policy about breastfeeding photos. However, the nature of the photographs banned, and statements from a Facebook representative, indicate that Facebook employees are inclined to treat breastfeeding photos as indecent. Considering that the original picture of a woman breastfeeding two children had absolutely no breast showing, we don't understand how this qualifies as indecent. Further, we don't understand how Facebook could deem such pictures obscene while allowing pro-anorexia groups to post and share pictures -- something that has been deemed by almost all medical professionals as being detrimental and even harmful. Public nursing is a legally protected right in most states and provinces – and it is well-recognized that the protection of this right serves a very important purpose in removing barriers to breastfeeding, which has been proven to be a best practice in the care and rearing of children - why should something that women are legally permitted to do in real public spaces  be deemed inappropriate for virtual public spaces?

We're not asking for special treatment in regards to posting our pictures, many of which Facebook is allowing in the protest group. We are asking for Facebook to clarify its terms of use for photographs, and to allow an exemption for photographs that depict the act of nursing.

Until these terms are clarified, we will continue to ask like-minded citizens of the Internet to consider deactivating their facebook accounts, and to utilize more socially progressive and family-friendly networking sites instead.

Sincerely,

The League of Maternal Justice

We'll keep you posted about any response - or lack thereof - that we receive. And stay tuned for our next mission!

The Breast Fest Manifesto

It's perfectly legal for women to breastfeed publicly in most of the United States, and throughout Canada. We HAVE the right to breastfeed publicly. So why are we insisting upon Festing the Breast?

Because people like Bill Maher would have us hide...

Because Facebook thinks that pictures of nursing boobs are dirty...

Because waitstaff at Applebees and YMCA attendants still tell nursing mothers to cover up or nurse in the toilet...

Because it's illegal to ask a nursing mother to stop nursing or conceal her nursing, and yet people still do it...

Because we live in a society where nobody bats an eye at see-through tops and pasties on pop stars, but in which nursing breasts are considered by some to be indecent...

Because some people still say things like "breastfeeding is like masturbating - it shouldn't be done in public"...

Because if even one woman - EVEN ONE - is shamed into not nursing because someone said it's indecent, that's one too many.

Because this most important of mothering activities should be celebrated and lauded and praised from the rooftops.

Because it's a superpower, and we need to be proud of it.

Spread the word. Share your voices. Nurse your babies.

Boob Ninjas are already live nursing - Fidget's the first! Check back throughout the day for more links!

And - if you go shop at Silly Wagon today, you can help fund future missions! Silly Wagon is donating 5% of all sales today to the LMJ Missions Fund! Shop for mom justice!

Video Boobers:

A Mommy Story

Cheese Party

Crunchy Domestic Goddess

Finding Yourself Despite Yourself

Fire Breathing Dragon Mama

Grynet.eu

I am cordoroy and flowers!

Mommy off the Record

Motherhood Uncensored

The Natural News

The Wink

Blogs In The News:

Eco Child's Play

Erin Kotecki Vest (The Huffington Post)

Green Options

Breast Fest Participants and Supporters:

2 Pink Lines

Amanda's Blog

A Mom, a Blog, and the Life In-Between

Anthropologist for Corporate America

An urban girl tackles motherhood

Being Me, Just for Them

Blithely Babbling

Blog, Blah, Blah

Blog Chocolate

blue milk

Circle of Life

cribchronicles.com

Delaney Diaries

Fear and Loathing in Stepford

Gnumoon's Stuff

Growing a Life

Half Pint Pixie

Her Bad Mother

Her Mind Lives in a Quiet Room

ImpostorMom

Irreverent, Barefoot Ragamuffins

Lakeline

LaylaBeth

Lawyer Mama

Life Beats Down and Crushes the Soul

Life, the Universe, and Everything

Magpie Musings

Major Bedhead

Mama Knows Breast

Marketing Roadmaps

miserablebliss

Monkey Business

motherbumper

Musings & Mutterings

Musings of a crunchy, domestic goddess

My Two Shews

Not Just a Working Mom

Our Family Village

Painted Maypole

Postcards from the Mothership

PunditMom

PutYourFlareOn

Quarter Rest

Quick Serve Kids

Rain Babies

Raising the Boy... And Girl!

Red, W[h]ine and Boo!

rnmom

She She

Skype Mummy

Slacker Moms R Us

Sleepless Nights

Snapshot Chronicles

Soul Gardening

Tales of life with a girl on the go

The Fish Pond

The Mouse's Nest

The t family syndicate

Toddler Planet

Two peas, no pod

True Mom Confessions

Under the Mad Hat

Veggie Way

Velveteen Mind

Vicki

Watch Me! No, Watch Me!

Wonder Mom

Breastfeeding is a Man's Issue Too

I'm very grateful to LMJ's dynamic duo for inviting me to join them on their soapbox for a few minutes today.  After all, men care about this issue too.  It's long past time for people to realize that shame and sex have nothing to do with feeding a child.  And it's long past time for men to stand up to support the women who have led this fight for so long.  I may write a blog called "It's Not a Lecture," but it seems there may be some people who need to sit down and get a good "talking to."

I'm married to an incredible woman who's an expert in women's health research.  She's taught me about all of the benefits that kids - and moms - get when moms breastfeed their kids.  I also worked in a pediatrics department for three years, so I saw a LOT of public breastfeeding going on.  And I NEVER saw a mom breastfeed to be provocative.  I did, however, see women who were embarrassed or afraid of what people might say.  Embarrassed to feed their babies.

I guess that's why I was upset when I learned a woman was recently kicked out of a restaurant because she refused to put a blanket on top of her and her baby as she breastfed.  In my town of Lexington, Kentucky.  In June.  In a state where the law prohibits anyone from interfering with a breastfeeding mom.  This woman wasn't parading around the restaurant flashing people.  She was sitting in the back, just trying to feed her kid.  So I know this: it's the opponents of public breastfeeding that are sexualizing the practice, not the moms.  And like you, I don't think someone's sexual hangups should dictate where and when a baby gets to eat.

And I guess that's why I joined with LMJ and all the moms who care about this when I called out Facebook on their ridiculous double-standard of banning breastfeeding pictures while continuing to allow "pro-anorexia" groups on their network.

One of the biggest reasons I'm proud to stand with you is you'll include me.  You'll include anyone who cares about this issue and has something to say.  So I hope you'll also reach out to other people - more influential people - and ask them to join this fight.  Ask doctors and nurses to weigh in.  Ask other bloggers from other walks of life.  Take this to the city council.   Tell those who would mock breastfeeding moms as "narcissists" (look in the mirror, Bill - oh wait, you're already doing that) and those who would have you cover up that their hangups are their problem, not yours. 

And know you're not alone.

Our thanks to Honorary Agent DW for sharing his thoughts on this important issue. Stay tuned for The Great Virtual Breast Fest tomorrow starting at 10am your time. We'll have a list of all our participants and it's not too late to join us!

How are you participating? Let us know.

And make sure to check out the montage and feel free to place it on your blog for tomorrow's fest. Speaking of male reactions to breastfeeding, there's quite a discussion going on over at YouTube. We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Mission Breast Fest: Boobs, Busts, & Beyond!

Welcome to our new and improved site, complete with masks, capes, superpowered breast pumps, and fried chicken. We are now thoroughly armed and fairly dangerous.

We've got quite a collection of functional boobs at work that we've compiled for The Great Virtual Breast Fest on 10/10 at 10am. But we still need more! More Boobs! Lots more BOOBS!

If you've got photos, please send them in. The more boobs the better.

Also, if you are going to participate via web cam, or by posting video on your blog, please let us know. We're keeping track of our video feeders so we can link you on the day of the Breast Fest.

Thanks to our first two Milk-Bank donors Dr. Moz and Silly Wagon. Go visit them and say hello! We'll be using the funds from the Amazon Honor Donor program to provide web-cams for moms who want to nurse live. If that's you, let us know!

We're asking folks to continue to post about your own breastfeeding experiences and why it's important for you (or mothers) to be able to freely nurse in public. And remember, even if you don't or didn't nurse, we'd still love to hear your thoughts on the issue. Send us your posts and we'll add you to our Breast Friends/Breast Talk blogrolls.

Need some inspiration? We've got some interesting questions that we'd love to hear your take on over at our Cafemom Group. Dust off your super hero capes and join us. We'll be posting your responses here on this blog.

Make sure to check our sidebar for more booby events, including The Breastfeeding Promotion Act. [Thanks for the heads-up, Erin]. Got tips or news items that you think we need to know about? Be a Super Friend and send them our way!

And stay tuned for more missions related to boobs (of the anti-mother asshat variety, but not the nice milky kind).

Mission #2: The Great Virtual Breast Fest

Activate your wonder powers by pulling out your boobs on October 10, 2007 at 10:00am (your time) (mark your calendars!) and showing the world that you're a boobtastic superhero mom and damn proud of it.

We're asking women around the world to speak out - and squirt out! - against the banning of breastfeeding pictures on Facebook, as well as against the constant onslaught of negative attention toward breastfeeding mothers in public spaces and in the media.

That's right. We're staging a virtual nurse-in!

On October 10 at 10am (your time), women around the US and Canada and - we hope - the world will breastfeed for justice. We'll nurse our babies or bottle-feed our babies or reminisce about doing either of those things and we'll post pictures and video, all together, and let the world know that there is no shame, only power, in caring for our children.

Spread the word by placing a button on your blog, and then set up your web cam to live broadcast on your blog on October 10 at 10am (your time). If you don't have a web cam, but have a video recorder, post some breastfeeding video! Load it up on YouTube and tag it "The Great Virtual Breast Fest" on October 10!

If you don't have a web cam/video camera or you are not currently nursing, send us your breastfeeding pictures, along with your blog url (if you have one -- non-bloggers are WELCOME and strongly encouraged to participate!). We'll be creating a video montage of pictures that you can embed onto your blog. (If you've already written a post with pictures, please still send us a photo!)

So not to exclude our non-breastfeeding friends, you can participate by writing a post - even a blurb will do - about why you support women's right to nourish their children whenever and whatever and in whatever manner they wish.

We love your boobs too!

Whatever you're planning on doing as part of the Breast Fest, make sure to let us know how you're participating by emailing The Boob Squad. Want to breastfeed live but need a webcam? Plan on putting video up? Sending us some pics?

We want to know! Are you with us?!

And finally, please SPREAD THE WORD. Leave a note on your message boards, tell the moms at your playgroup, or heck, send an email to Oprah! And will someone please load this up over at the Facebook protest group?

This is not a Breast Fest without breasts and lots of them! Swipe a button code, write a post, and let people know we're not hiding under blankets any longer. We'll be adding the links to our sidebar and keeping tabs on our Brest Fest participants!

For more on our Facebook Sucks mission, click here. We're still encouraging people to throw a stone at the big man and deactivate accounts!

And if you know of any potential sponsors - we'd love to get web cams to women who want to join in, but any kind of sponsorship will do! - Please send them our way! Or donate a few bucks in our sidebar. All the proceeds will go towards getting us one step closer to Maternal Justice!

How you can participate:

1) Nurse live on your blog via a webcam at 10am YOUR time

2) Place recorded video of you breastfeeding on your blog at 10am YOUR time

3) Place the LMJ Breastfeeding Montage (available 10/8) on your blog at 10am YOUR time Up and through 10/10, please help us spread the word by writing posts and linking our site with the button codes.