Atlanta area city bans breastfeeding toddlers in public - Page 4

[Turquesa]

Originally Posted by AboutPediatrics 



Interestingly, most of the City of Forest Park City Council members that had to vote on this ordinance are women. I guess it is sexist, but to vote against breastfeeding, I expected at least a majority to be men.

http://forestparkga.org/mayor-city-council.aspx

Vincent Iannelli, MD

Strange, isn't it?  It could be a case of what sociologists call "identification with the oppressor," where these women are securing power by adopting the norms of their male-dominated culture.  Some women also may have some personal issues--maybe guilt that breastfeeding didn't work out for them.  Whatever psychobabble I come up with, I and many of my peers have been harassed for nursing in public, and every time the perpetrator has been female. 

Edited by Turquesa - 5/19/11 at 5:17pm

[2xy]

In my experience, the most vocal NIP opponents have been women.

Guys are usually happy to see boobs, no matter the reason.

[KempsMama]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

In my experience, the most vocal NIP opponents have been women.

Guys are usually happy to see boobs, no matter the reason.

Along these lines, fathers seem to be some of our greatest advocates.  I know my DH is at times more of a lactivist than I am! 

[Calliope84]

Originally Posted by Celticqueen 

I think everyone in the Atlanta area who breastfeeds needs to go to one single park in atlanta and over flow it, breastfeeding in public to protest this nonsense. Who wants to organize it?! How inhumane that they would pass this law. I almost WANT to move down there just so I can cause all sorts of trouble in that city

Yeah, that! 

[KittyKat]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

In my experience, the most vocal NIP opponents have been women.

Guys are usually happy to see boobs, no matter the reason.

That's been my experience as well. The two most memorable anti-NIP experiences I have had were both women.

One was two older women who decided I was being completely shocking by nursing my baby fully covered in a bulky sweatshirt, in a very dark corner of a restaurant waiting area. You'd have needed a high-powered flashlight and a magnifying glass to see any skin, but that didn't stop them from getting their granny panties in a twist.

The other time, I was in a restaurant again, I believe we were traveling back from a funeral in the family. Anyhow, we stopped for lunch, and I nursed my baby in a sling. You'd have needed x-ray glasses to see anything. Some bitter middle aged business woman in a cheesy suit at the next table made a snide comment to her table about people "just whipping it out anywhere." I was tempted to show her what it REALLY looks like when someone "whips it out" but I have more manners than that, and besides my baby didn't need to have his meal interrupted.

The concept of NIP used to make my hubby uncomfortable, but once he saw how it ACTUALLY works, he realized it wasn't a big deal. He was even on an airplane, seated close to a family with a young baby, and he told the mom to "do whatever she needed to do" because he has kids, and it doesn't bother him at all.

[goddessjulia]

nurse-in scheduled for this monday 5/23 at 10am, here's the FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/event.php?eid=214603545231699

all the major news stations have verbally committed to attending. city manager John Parker is refusing interviews.

have seen two different reports locally from others in the Forest Park city office. one woman abstained from the vote and commented about political pressure and the city manager pushing his agenda through; also, only 3 votes makes a majority evidently (this is all quoted, second-hand, let me be clear that I have not verified this stuff). in a different phone call (but maybe to the same woman), when asked what is it like to work with such anti-feminist people, the woman answered, "I have no words."

[ausoutbackmumma]

I can't tell you how amazed, shocked and dissappointed I am to hear that rediculous ban has been passed...so it is obvously a problem in Atlanta is it? women, all over the city, on ever corner, breastfeeding their 2+ year old children. So does that mean all breastfeeding mums must carry the child's birth certificate as proof, in public, incase the breastfeeding police are out and about? Obviously the city of Atlanta was desperate for something new to ban?? and, at the risk of sounding somewhat a feminist...where were the strong women when this was passed? Sounds a rule only an insensitive man could make...sorry, I am in Australia and the common question is (usually men asking ofcourse..) "so how long do you plan on feeding you baby for?", so I purposefully feed my dear little son wherever I choose, the more uncomfortable they feel, the better the awareness and acceptance in the world! Better for our children...if they need a feed they need a feed. I recently read that historical evidence tells that the Native American Indians fed their children until five years of age. Our current Priminister is a woman (thank the lord) and I think that sort of suggestion would be squashed pretty quickly - even considering she doesn't have children! Well I'd best get off my soapbox...what a sad thing, when a woman could only protest this by bringing upset to her child - being confronted while feeding! Where is the respect for Mother and Child I ask you!!!

[BubbleMa]

I see a couple people referring to "Atlanta" in regards to this.  I would just like to point out that this is happening in Forest Park, which is a suburb of Atlanta.  This is not happening in Atlanta proper.  I don't want people thinking Atlanta has anything to do with this.

Forest Park is a relatively small, low-income, high crime area.  Ironically, probably the biggest attraction in Forest Park is a strip club.  I wonder if they're going to shut that down?

Also, for those of you planning to go to Forest Park for the nurse-in, please be VERY careful.  The Clayton County "justice" system is very corrupt.  People get arrested for the stupidest things there, and then they make it very difficult to get out in a timely manor.  SO got pulled over for having a brake light out, and ended up being arrested for having an expired license.  He spent almost a week in jail.  It was a nightmare!   And most of the other people in his "pod" were there for traffic violations too. 

Edited by BubbleMa - 5/20/11 at 7:25am

[earthworm]

Wow.

I live near Forest Park and of all the things to be concerned about... Just wow.

We'll try to make it to the nurse-in.

[philomom]

I don't like Fbook.
Edited by philomom - 5/24/11 at 8:03am

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by earthworm 

Wow.

I live near Forest Park and of all the things to be concerned about... Just wow.

We'll try to make it to the nurse-in.

Seriously, like Clayton County doesn't have much bigger issues to deal with.  My parents still live there.  I really wish they could afford to move.

[cocoanib]

Originally Posted by goddessjulia 

nurse-in scheduled for this monday 5/23 at 10am, here's the FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/event.php?eid=214603545231699

all the major news stations have verbally committed to attending. city manager John Parker is refusing interviews.

have seen two different reports locally from others in the Forest Park city office. one woman abstained from the vote and commented about political pressure and the city manager pushing his agenda through; also, only 3 votes makes a majority evidently (this is all quoted, second-hand, let me be clear that I have not verified this stuff). in a different phone call (but maybe to the same woman), when asked what is it like to work with such anti-feminist people, the woman answered, "I have no words."

yes! I'm going to alert my nursing cousins in GA. I think they live in that area.
 

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by Stargirl 

Absolutely mind-boggling! I would love to see Jon Stewart of the Daily Show do a report on this (assuming of course that he would be supportive)!

Don't wait for Jon Stewart! Make your own video on you-tube and watch it go viral. I bet you could do it! There's some great starter comments here already!

My fav being - I don't know about you guys but I always strip to BF my toddler!
 

[lemonapple]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

In my experience, the most vocal NIP opponents have been women.

Guys are usually happy to see boobs, no matter the reason.

How appalling though...and ridiculous. Sort of like the whole...not an adult until the age of 18...or not allowed to drink until 21...arbitrary age laws are just ridiculous.

What is the penalty if one should dare nurse their older-than-TWO-years child? 

[waiting2bemommy]

 The Clayton County "justice" system is very corrupt.  People get arrested for the stupidest things there, and then they make it very difficult to get out in a timely manor.  SO got pulled over for having a brake light out, and ended up being arrested for having an expired license.  He spent almost a week in jail.  It was a nightmare!   And most of the other people in his "pod" were there for traffic violations too. 

I've never been to Forest Park, but I have also heard that many of the county police in GA are terrible and very corrupt. I was arrested for not paying a traffic ticket on time and I spent 25 days in jail away from my ds waiting for a court date. And many of the other women were there for traffic violations, and one girl was even there for throwing a piece of trash out of her moving vehicle. Not that littering is OK, but....

It's ridiculous. I would definitely be prepared for the worst case scenario if you plan to make waves anywhere in GA.

[kamikazismom]

I wish I could make it to the nurse-in.  People need to see moms feeding their babies, or our society as a whole will never be comfortable with it.  When my DS was 18 months, and I was 7 months pregnant, we went on a family vacation.  The plane wasn't too full, so DS and I had an entire row of seats to ourselves.  DH sat across the aisle from us. I laid back across the seats and nursed my son.  When the flight attendant came around to take drink orders she took one look at me and then immediately turned away and didn't even ask me if I wanted anything.  Then she turned to DH (not realizing we were together) and whispered "Oh my God!" DH pretended he didn't know me and acted shocked as well.  But then when the flight attendant came back with the drinks DH had moved to the seat next to me and I had my legs resting on his lap.  It was pretty obvious then we were together.  You should have seen the embarrassed look on the flight attendant's face.  I just hope she is a little more accepting of the next nursing mom she sees on a flight.

[Asiago]

Update from Channel 11 news:

http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/191748/3/Breastfeeding-brouhaha-in-Forest-Park

[annettemarie]

The city manager thinks a nurse in is cruel?!?! He really seems confused about the meaning of basic words like "lewd" and "decency" and "cruel."

ETA: Is it true that this wording is on the books in other cities? That's interesting.

[lemonapple]

Odd language on the city manager's end...cruel? lol. 

It sounds like Georgia is a crazy place...a lot of jail stories...but I'm sure that a permit-approved nurse-in will be quite safe. Wish I was close-by!

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by lemonapple 

Odd language on the city manager's end...cruel? lol. 

It sounds like Georgia is a crazy place...a lot of jail stories...but I'm sure that a permit-approved nurse-in will be quite safe. Wish I was close-by!

Georgia is a beautiful state, and Atlanta is a great place to raise a family.  Every country/state/county/city has their issues.  Some more than others (ahem, Forest Park) but that doesn't mean the whole state is crazy.