League of Maternal Justice

New Press Release: Will Facebook Follow YouTube's Lead?

We want to make sure that Facebook is aware of the wise choice that YouTube made in reviewing our video and reinstating it, so we've released another news piece regarding the email apology, as well as a challenge to Facebook to address this issue as well.

We realize they're terribly busy welcoming sexual predators and protecting the Pro-Ana groups, so they may not get a chance to read our press release, but we figure it's important for us to share that information with them.

We'll be back later this week with more information on the Toy Recalls and what you can do this holiday to make sure kids are getting their hands on safe toys. Please make sure to check the Safer Toys page as we have added some really excellent resources.

Response From YouTube Received Regarding Breastfeeding Video Banning: Video Reinstated!

Hi there,

Thank you for your email.  We have reviewed the video and have found that it was removed in error and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.  The video has now been reinstated and your account has not been penalized.

Sincerely,

Mike
The YouTube Team

--

Thank you for all your efforts -- posting video responses, writing posts, and sharing your thoughts about this. We are so pleased that YouTube took another look at our video and reinstated it.

Justice is ours! 

Our missions still need your attention, however. We're back to fighting the toy recalls and BPA leaching into our baby bottles and formula. If you've got questions for the folks at the Toy Industry Association (TIA), check out Mom-101's post. She's got their ears, and we want to get answers. Leave a comment!

Also, make sure to check out the transcript from my conference call with Sonya Lunger regarding the BPA leaching from formula containers. We need your help in badgering formula companies to change how they make and package their formula! More information on her study and what we should be purchasing to feed our babies here.

New Breastfeeding Montage Up and Running

We've reloaded a new, quiet version of our montage onto YouTube. We need your help by doing the following:

a) View it, rate it, share it and favorite it.

b) Repost the montage on your blog. Feel free to just add it to your old post or write a new one expressing your outrage about the banning. (Make sure to send us your link!)

c) Post a video response to our montage expressing your outrage. Make sure to title and tag it "Message to YouTube" as well as League of Maternal Justice.

d) Visit the montage often and comment! Vote and bookmark us on the social bookmarking sites.

People are talking...

... and have many brilliant things to say about the removal of the Breast Fest Montage from YouTube.

If you written a post, please leave a link in the comments so we can add you to the list. Your support, your outrage, and your energy to continue to fight the fight is greatly appreciated and YouTube needs to hear what we think (that, and they also need a kick in the pants).

Wonderland: Women! Stop upsetting the Internet with your breastfeeding!

seattlepi.com - Working Dad: YouTube Bans Breast-feeding... Video

Suebob: (video)

Queen of Spain: (video)

Quarter Rest: YouTube: you, too, are assholes??

MOMocrats: How is Breastfeeding Related to Politics?

Dirty Little Secret: Jerseygirl's Signs Of the Coming Apocalypse

Commercial Nation: Can You Believe I Had To Post About This?

Left Coast Mama: When Will they Learn?

PunditMom: You Know This Would All be Different if Men Could Breastfeed

Moms Speak Up: You Know This Would All be Different if Men Could Breastfeed

Redefining Perfect: Breastfeeding is not Obscene!

The Fish Pond: And the List of Idiots Keeps Getting Longer - A Message to YouTube

Circle of Life: YouTube Bans breastfeeding video

Suburban Oblivion: First Facebook Bans Breastfeeding Pics, Now YouTube Bans Breastfeeding Video

My Life As It Is: Breasts

Cheese Party: Instinct

A Roaming Aussie Mum: Breastfeeding Images Banned!

Amazing Trips: an amazing trip trick: breastfeeding olympiad (and a rant)

The Langenheims: This is on PISSED mamma

Sparks and Butterflies: I matter

The Nest Baby New Arrivals: Seen this week on the web

No Response From YouTube; More Toy Issues

While we wait (in vain, most likely) for a response from YouTube, we'll be compiling your posts, the publicity, and reloading our montage. Your support, your outrage, and your energy to continue to fight the fight is greatly appreciated. Please continue to write posts, send our press release, and express your opinion about this!

And thanks to folks at my new favorite blog Eco Child's Play for this fantastic post about recalled toys still being on shelves and being sold on ebay. Yes they are still on the shelves. And YES people are actually trying to sell them on ebay.

It's Only Just Begun: YouTube Bans Breastfeeding Montage Video

*See updates below*

Apparently YouTube doesn't have a mind of its own because it has now followed suit with Facebook and MySpace by banning our League of Maternal Justice Breastfeeding Montage Video.

That's right. Not "flagged" as inappropriate so it's still viewable by folks if they enter their birthdate.

Totally BANNED.

We can't say we're not completely surprised, considering the continued inconsistencies with policing that these sites do. If you search through YouTube, you'll find plenty of breastfeeding videos still available for viewing. And, as always, you'll find plenty of boobages and butts, plus more disturbing videos like self-mutilation and starvation, all accessible to whoever wants to find them.

*So what was it about ours that ticked them off?

We have yet to hear from them, but that's not going to stop us from taking a stand. This movement we're supporting is not about glorifying breastfeeding. We're asking for policy change. We're demanding that these organizations read the laws and medical journals that state that breastfeeding in public is legal and the best choice (when possible) for babies. If the government is going to force breastfeeding on mothers then why aren't they taking a stand when we continually get asked to leave restaurants and YMCAs and when our pictures are banned as "sexually explicit."

Here's what you can do:

1. Email congressional reps (link to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ - enter your zip, and it returns all three addresses/home pages for your location) and Parliament members (link to http://www.canada.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html - enter your postal code, and it returns addresses/home pages of Parliament members) and ask them to tell YouTube/Google that removal of the video is socially and legally unacceptable.

2. Create a short video (not breastfeeding) that is tagged and titled "Message to YouTube" (feel free to include any other tags, including League of Maternal Justice, Breastfeeding, Health, etc). and tell them what you think about this. Tell them that breastfeeding is NOT obscene

*Updated: We're going to reload our video (with new music) in the next few days. If you want, hold your Messages to YouTube and you can make them as replies to our Montage! (Thanks Jenn)

YouTube is calling for these videos and we're more than happy to oblige. Make sure to send us your YouTube video link! 

3. Write a post and include these same directions on your own blogs and send us the permalinks (or leave them in the comments).

4. Return to the LMJ call to action post (where permalinks will be linked up) and post/vote for others' posts on bookmarking sites.

5. Submit our press release to online media outlets and social bookmarking sites (Reddit, Stumbleupon, etc.), get your message boards involved, send to your local reporters, or any national news contacts.

Vote now: Sk*rt

Digg it!

Bookmark now:  Delicious

We need your superpowers now more than ever!