Toronto Dufferin Grove NIP incident - summary and update

[Janice in Canada]

(I'm starting a new thread for this, as I want to refer other people to it. I just sent this entire post to the almost 500 Cdn breastfeeding advocates on my Breastfeeding Canada News list. Sorry its so long, but the mom's side of the story needs to be told. Janice)



This mom in Toronto needs our support. I am embarrassed and sorry that I didn't bring this to the list sooner. Since this issue has been taken to the public rather than handled professionally, I thank that Canadian breastfeeding advocates need to know the other side of the story.

On Jan 7, a breastfeeding mom, Erika Ross, was asked to cover up or move while breastfeeding her 12-day-old in a Toronto Park rinkhouse. She was attempting to latch on her infant, while calling to her 2-year-old to come and get ready to leave. The community volunteer Jutta Mason, asked her to cover herself or move to a more private place, because apparently Erika was not covered enough to Jutta's liking, and there were a few hockey players in the mixed-use facility. Although it really shouldn't matter, Erika wants it known that she lifted her black maternity t-shirt to her shoulder, to expose her t-back bravado nursing bra, and unsnapped the left cup, in order to latch on. At no time did she take off her top, and her intention, before being interrupted, was to put baby in a sling, and cover herself and baby with a sweater and jacket in preparation to go home, as soon as baby was latched.

After the incident, Erika wrote a mild letter of complaint to the park, which was immediately posted WITHOUT HER PERMISSION to the Park email list, prefaced by Mason's comments. By January 11, Mason had also published a pseudo-policy in the form of the article BREASTFEEDING ETIQUETTE IN THE SHARED-USE RINK HOUSE in the park newsletter. See http://www.dufferinpark.ca/newsletter/newsletter.html

Erika has been willing to wait for the City of Toronto to take action on this. By the end of the week, Toronto Parks and Recreation had sent a letter to the Park, re-inforcing the City's policy on breastfeeding, and that the park's "etiquette" didn't conform to this. Meanwhile the discussion on the now-public email list continued. I see that the Park has seen fit to publish all this correspondence on its email site: http://www.dufferinpark.ca/aboutus/b...risis2005.html (editing out everyone's name, but I doubt that they asked permission to reprint these comments from each correspondent. Mason gets the last word in every case).
Also Mason has re-printed her article as an "editorial" http://www.dufferinpark.ca/editor/ed...tml#listserver

Today, Toronto NOW magazine published an article:
Breast-feeding frenzy: Dufferin Grove standoff over nursing in ice rink change room tests city policy
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/200...ews_story8.php
Again Mason tells her side of the story, while Erika gets branded some kind of breast-baring activist.

This woman, Mason, consistently defends her action on the basis that she breastfed her 3 children, and in her time, was an activist for breastfeeding rights. (Your mother was probably scandalized that you did not move to the bedroom, but instead sat in the living room with a blanket over your shoulder to breastfeed. We may be shocked that our daughters or granddaughters might open their shirt entirely to breastfeed in the future (may we dream that may be our experience!)) Instead of simply accepting that times may have changed in what is considered "modest" by breastfeeding moms, and apologizing, she has escalated this at every level. Erika has been reasonable and moderate at all times, not participating in the email debate, and was willing to wait for the proper channels to take care of this.

I would find it very disappointing if some of the breastfeeding community abandoned Erika, choosing to think the issue is about "toplessness," rather than breastfeeding. I think the fact that Erika was attempting to care for a 12-day-old and 2 year old, would have sent a clear message to any rational reader that this mom hardly set out that day to make a public statement to assert breastfeeding rights. This fact seems to be left out of all accounts.


There are several ways to show your support:

Send notes of support to Erika at [e-mail]. (also please cc her in any letters you do write)

To write to the editor of the Friends of Dufferin Grove Newsletter: [e-mail]
(at least cc them in all correspondence, since I think writing them directly may be useless at this point!!!)

Write letters to Toronto NOW magazine demanding clarification on Erika's account of events: [e-mail]

Write the City of Toronto demanding [e-mail] conduct a public & employee/volunteer education campaign for their breastfeeding policy, AND development of a policy or education program around client confidentially and privacy issues (in regard to publishing private correspondence without permission).

Write Councilor Gambione [e-mail] and the Mayor [e-mail] to emphasize your support for Erika and this issue.

You may also want to CC:

The Ontario Human Rights Commission: [e-mail]

La Leche League Canada: [e-mail] or [e-mail]

INFACT Canada: [e-mail]

Dr. Jack Newman: [e-mail]



BELOW is Erika's response to the TORONTO NOW article (Jan 20)

Hello all,

I'm up feeding my daughter at 5:00 a.m. and noted that the NOW article
on the incident in the Dufferin Grove Rinkhouse has been published
online. I have a couple reactions:

"exposing her left breast in front of a group of young male hockey
players doing up their skates,"

This claim is exaggerated and humiliating and has been from the
get-go. The few children left in the building at closing time were
almost exclusively my children and the children of a group of my best
friends. There appeared to be a few fully-grown men on the other side
of the room ***changing out of their hockey clothes***, but my back
was turned to them at the time so I'm unsure of their exact age.

I was upset to see that I was misquoted in paragraph five of the article:

""We've fought for a number of different rights [assuring us] it's OK
if we aren't discreet," says Ross. "Breast-feeding shouldn't be
something shameful, whether it's one breast or two."

I did not say these things during my phone interview with NOW nor have
I at any other time since the incident occured.

"Executive director Teresa Pitman says the Dufferin Grove incident
"doesn't sound so much like a breast-feeding issue. Certainly, most
mothers who are breast-feeding don't need to remove their whole
shirt.""

I'd like to clarify that no matter what the rumours are, I was wearing
a black maternity t-shirt raised to my neck and a t-back leopard-print
Bravado nursing bra with the left cup snapped down to latch on my
baby. I emphasized this strongly to NOW. The bra alone is like a
sports bra and gives fuller coverage than a swim bikini. You may find
a photo of the style of bra at http://www.bravadodesigns.com. My
shoulders were completely covered by my t-shirt. I have seventeen
witnesses to the fact that this is the manner in which I was
breastfeeding in the rinkhouse the evening of January 7.

I find the fact that I have to broadcast e-mails across North America
regarding my bra choices and my amount of disrobal while breastfeeding
humiliating to the point of tears. If anyone is taking pleasure in
this, then shame on you. This is a terrible violation of my privacy
and of every woman's right to breastfeed anytime, anywhere, in any
manner. I should be resting during my newborn's naps instead of
trying to defend myself against the rumours that will now surely fly
all over the continent - including reaching my former workplace and
soon most likely my colleagues thrroughout North America. Please note
that I never intended for this to be a public debate. I did not make
it public. I simply sent a private e-mail to the City of Toronto and
Friends of Dufferin Grove Park asking for an apology and a
clarification of policy for all involved.

There is a blind cc list added to this e-mail that includes the
individuals and organizations who have lent me their support. I will
also be sending it to anyone who contacts me to clarify the facts.

Erika Ross


Erika's initial email to me on January 11, telling her side of the story:

Hi Janice,

An acquaintance of mine who frequents the mothering.com forums asked
if I would forward the story of my recent incident with breastfeeding
discrimination at a Toronto park:

On Friday nights my family and several of our close friends take our
kids to Dufferin Grove Park for dinner and ice skating. This past
Friday a group of us were sitting at a long picnic table in the middle
of the rink house until it was time for the volunteers and staff to
clean up in preparation for closing for the evening.

I, my family, and two of our friends got up from the table so the
staff could fold it up. We were collecting our things and trying to
get my 2-year-old son ready to go while looking for a friend's
daughter's pair of Hello Kitty gloves, which we suspected had
'walked.'

My baby, disrupted a bit by the ruckus of getting up (as babies are,)
started to root and so I instinctively lifted my t-shirt to my
shoulders in front, snapped down the left side of my t-back Bravado
nursing tank and went to latch her on. She was twelve days old at the
time and she's had mild latch difficulties since birth so it takes her
a few times of popping on and off the nipple before she settles in.

I was attempting to round up my rambunctious two-year-old at the same
time so I may have turned my side toward the rest of the room to call
for him while still trying to latch the baby. I assume that people
looking my way may have caught a glimpse or two of nipple when I did
so.*

Next thing I knew this woman was standing next to me trying to shield
me from the rest of the room. She asked me if I wanted to go somewhere
more private. I said, "No thanks. She just needs to latch then we'll
be fine." She seemed dissatisfied with this and immediately replied,
"Yes. Yes. I think you do." She made a gesture as if she were going to
put her arm around me and physically escort me to the washroom.

I think I shot enough daggers out of my eyes that she didn't touch me.
I angrily grabbed my sweater, which I had been about to put on in
preparation to leave. I put it over the baby's head and went to sit
down in an uninhabited corner of the room. It was obvious I'd have sit
and finish feeding the baby before I could get ready to go. (Note:
Before I was interrupted it was actually my intention to latch the
baby, put her in her sling, then put on my sweater and coat so she
could breastfeed on the way home while still being protected from the
elements.)

The woman then came over to where I was sitting and attempted to
convince me I was being immodest. She began to tell me about how
aboriginal women in the neighborhood were spearheading some kind of
modesty in breastfeeding campaign - I had no idea what she was talking
about. I began to offer the obvious defenses, "But I breastfeed at the
mall and on the streetcar with no problems." She seemed to think the
rink house was different. She asked me if I'd ever been to other
Toronto rink houses, which was a line of conversation I found
irrelevant. I said nothing in response and after a fashion she got up,
said, "It's obvious you don't agree with me," and walked off.

I went home and sent a mild letter of complaint to
[e-mail]. The next day I found it had been posted
publicly to an e-list for Dufferin Park community members along with
my full name and prefaced by her commentary. I had been cc'ed this and
some of the responses though I wasn't a member of the e-list at the
time. It became clear to me the woman in question was in fact the
organizer of the Friday night suppers at the rink house and a
prominent community member. This turn of events - making my full name
and actions public for discussion amongst strangers - made me
uncomfortable. Her exaggeration of the incident - insinuating that I
had lasciviously removed my top to breastfeed in the middle of a room
full of hockey players - was also insulting and humiliating.

Outrage against this woman's actions ensued on the e-list, (which I
became a member of on Monday to view the discussion.) I didn't respond
publicly. I tried to keep a low profile and work with Councillor
Giambrone's office toward a resolution.

By Monday the woman, also editor of the park newsletter, had reprinted
the January newsletter to include her position on breastfeeding. She
called it the "practice" or "etiquette" of the park community to avoid
"radical disrobing" while breastfeeding or to take it to a secluded
corner or to the washroom. These sentiments were loosely couched in
language that made it seem that she meant to be accomodating towards
mothers rather than discriminatory, but legions of people,
particularly those who were privy to her earlier comments, saw through
it and began to e-mail the mayor, councillor Giambrone, and their
local breastfeeding advocacy organizations regarding the now-published
discriminatory policy.

Currently the issue is in the hands of the constituents of Dufferin
Grove Park, the City of Toronto, and breastfeeding advocates
everywhere. While I do not condone any personal attacks on the woman
in question, I have not received an apology and I am not convinced
that this kind of harrassment and invasion of privacy will not happen
to another breastfeeding mom at Dufferin Grove. These are the two
reparations we're asking for at this time - an apology and for a
breastfeeding education initiative to be put in place for staff and
volunteers of Toronto Parks and Recreation.

If you have any questions, let me know.

All the best -

Erika Ross
[e-mail]

[mommybritt]

Janice,
Thanks for keeping on top of this - I am absolutely sick about it The intial incident was bad enough but what's happened since is just awful.

[Kari_mom]

Jutta Mason really doesn't get it, does she? I will have to remember her arguement, that since I have breastfed, I have the right to discriminate against other breastfeeding mothers...and do it as loudly and publically as I want without repercussion as long as I am just a volunteer.

Uhm, I don't think so.

I am sending Erika an email of my support.

[Janice in Canada]

If possible, please send emails to the addresses for the City Of Toronto - I thinks its their responsibility to make this right by Erika. They have to get this employee/volunteer under control.

Apparently this Jutta was a LLL leader in her day. I was told that at that time, women could have been arrested for indecency while breastfeeding in public. But now we have laws to protect us, and moms are pushing the boundaries just a little bit further.

I think this incident calls on us all to look at our definitions of what is okay - does our defense of someone rights, end where our own life experience ends? For most people it does (MIL's etc) Well, we need to make sure we don't do that, too.


Janice

[Janice in Canada]

Comments from LLLCanada Executive Director Teresa Pitman, on her quotes in the Toronto NOW Article: She asked that I pass them along.

----- Original Message -----
From: Teresa Pitman
To: [e-mail]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 12:07 PM
Subject: Re: [bfcanadanews] ACTION - Please support this Toronto mom now!


Janice, may I just comment on the Now article where I was quoted?

I was not exactly misquoted, but a great deal of what I said to the reporter was left out. The reporter told me that the mother had completely removed her top in order to breastfeed. I was trying to make two points: first, that the law as I understand it permits mothers to go topless anywhere that men can go topless - and that probably a changeroom would be a place where men can go topless. I talked to her about Gwen Jacobs (who is from Guelph, where I live) and how she got that law clarified. My point was that the mother's right to be topless was something quite separate from breastfeeding.

I also wanted to let mothers know that they could breastfeed, without removing their shirts (as the reporter had told me happened) - and so I mentioned that, while sometimes, especially with a young baby, you need to get most of your clothes out of the way, most mothers are able to breastfeed without removing their shirts. I meant this to be reassuring to new/expectant mothers, not wanting them to feel that breastfeeding would require going topless.

I told the reporter that I didn't know enough about this situation (beyond what she had told me, and an email someone had forwarded me earlier) to comment on this specific situation at all. My comments were meant to say, first that women have the right to go topless, and second that breastfeeding can be done in a variety of ways depending on what the MOTHER is comfortable with.

Teresa Pitman

[annettemarie]

Wow. I can't believe how this has escalated- and this is in a place that has breastfeeding legislation!
Annette

[paquerette]

Just blowing off some steam here.

There are a couple of statments in that one link where Mason really makes herself look like an a$$, IMO. Like "I wanted Erika to cover up more." Who gives a flying %&$! what you want, lady? . And "Many people, not only hockey players, are startled when a woman breastfeeds in such a way that a great deal of the rest of her beautiful figure is also exposed. There is a cultural sensitivity that can't just be condemned regardless of the context." Nevermind the fact that "a great deal" of Erika was not exposed, I think some people need to shove their "cultural sensitivities." It wasn't so long ago that segregation of whites and blacks occurred (in this country, anyway) due to "cultural sensitivity." It's just a manipulation of semantics to make it seem like it's somehow personally offensive to have someone breastfeed. I wonder what culture Mason claims to belong to that is so sensitive to this, anyway?

Arg. And then the next paragraph about how silly it is to insist that one's rights not be violated, because sometimes it's not "a good idea" to utilise them. Um, yeah, okay...

[annettemarie]

I tried to read through the whole page of posted remarks. It was painful.

If it was me, at this point, I would just be suing her butt off, not only for the human rights violation, but for lying, and for posting my comments without my permission.

This woman is out of control.

Annette

[Kari_mom]

I just wanted to clarify that I did send emails to the councilor and the mayor on Erika's behalf, as well as to Erika.

I hope Erika gets her much deserved apology very soon.

[Ahleemah]

Out-rage-ous

This is what I wrote:


Dear Editor,

I was disappointed to read such a one-sided article in NOW about a mother being treated rudely while legally breastfeeding her child in a public place. Where was this mother's full side of the story? Erika Ross has stated elsewhere that she was wearing a nursing bra under a top. The allegation that she was bearing both breasts seems ludicrous to anyone familiar with the act of trying to hold a baby and breastfeed at the same time... no mother in their right MIND would try with both breasts out! And a nursing bra generally exposes a very small area around the nipple. Some clarification in this matter would have been nice, it rather portrays Ms. Ross as ripping her shirt off to spray the ice with her milky bosom. Well, sensation moves papers, doesn't it? And who cares about a young mother's reputation in the community?

The real outrage of this incident is that a mother juggling a 2 year old and a 12 day old should have been approached with an offer to help, instead of being offered illegal discrimination.

Women in Muslim countries that are forced to wear the full hajib are allowed to expose their breasts in order to breastfeed; clearly this issue is not about our advanced and genteel Canadian modesty. This is really about one woman discriminating against another... how sad and how familiar. Even more sad is when a mother who herself should remember the difficulty of breastfeeding in public decides to impugn another such mother.

Canada, we have come so far. Let's leave the dark-ages of Playboy-esque views of breasts and get back to reality: Breasts Are For Babies.

As for Dufferin Park, I'll be wary and marking that place as a place where only *certain* types of breastfeeding mothers may be welcome... those willing to hide in dark corners. I would love to see a follow-up article on Dufferin Park's atrocious invasion of privacy by posting Ms. Ross's private letter on their website as well as hosting whole web conversation at her expense. http://www.dufferinpark.ca/aboutus/b...risis2005.html It is disgusting to see Dufferin Park scrambling to discredit this mother and spread rumours about "Radical Disrobing" in order to distract from the fact that they are clearly and simply, in the wrong.

I look forward to seeing more on this issue.

cc'd to everyone I could think of. ;-)

A.

[Ahleemah]

Fired off one to the mayor and will modify it slightly to send to public health and councilman.

"Dear Mayor,

This is a simple case. The Human Rights code is crystal clear and a woman's right to breastfeed in public is guaranteed.

This includes her right to breastfeed even if another woman decides to judge her and tarnish her reputation in the community due to her own issues with what she *personally* feels is and is not appropriate. Good thing we have the code to rely on, and not the whims of Ms. Mason at Dufferin Park.

The City of Toronto has a clear precedent to set and responsibility in this matter. It is certain that Torontonians do not want to put themselves into the position of denying women any of their rights, do they?

I quote from The Human Rights Code:

"You have rights as a nursing mother. For example, you have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. No one should prevent you from nursing your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to "cover up", disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more "discreet"."

Ms. Mason admitted that she asked Ms. Ross to cover up. She admits therefore that she is contravening the HRC and I expect her apology to Ms. Ross to be immediately forthcoming.

Modesty is not the issue here, it is one of interpreting the law. And last I checked, that was the lawmakers job, not the Modesty Police at Dufferin Park."

[Ahleemah]

one more....

Dear Ontario Human Rights Commission,

I am just writing to voice my support for Ms. Erika Ross and my outrage at the violation of her right to breastfeed in public by Ms. Jutta Mason.

Ms. Mason's "credentials" that she breastfed her own children do not negate in any way the crystal clear language of the code and have no bearing on this case whatsoever. (Are we to believe that merely having breastfed one's own children makes one unable to misunderstand the law or have a different view of modesty than another?) Ms. Mason admits herself that she asked Ms. Ross to cover up, which is a clear violation of the code.

The Human Rights Code states:
"You have rights as a nursing mother. For example, you have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. No one should prevent you from nursing your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to "cover up", disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more "discreet"."

Ms. Mason's intentions may have been good, but her actions were clearly in violation of the HRC. This is a very clear open-and-shut case and I look forward to seeing OHRC support Ms. Ross and join the public in demanding an apology from both Ms. Mason and Dufferin Park.

[VenalAnatomica]

Thanks for the update with that letter from Pitman.
I had a really weird feeling that something wasn't quite right there.

Now should be ashamed of themselves...perpetuating the myth that Erika was topless. She told them in no uncertain terms how she was covered...which is something no breastfeeding mother SHOULD EVER HAVE TO DO...And then for them to be completely misleading anyway. I am so disgusted with this whole mess.

[Janice in Canada]

This is the content of the letter that Toronto Parks & Rec sent to the Friends of Dufferin Grove Park organization. The website where the pseudo policy, and the email list correspondence was posted, is NOT under the control of the City of Toronto. It's been one week now since this letter was issued - if the Friends would post this letter on their website, AND pull of the pseudo policy, editorial and email correspondence, this would go along way towards resolving this issue.

Janice



January 14, 2005


Re: Breastfeeding Policy within City of Toronto Facilities


Dear Friends of Dufferin Grove Park,

In reviewing the Friends of Dufferin Grove January 2005 newsletter, it has come to our attention that the newsletter contains an article entitled, “Breastfeeding Etiquette in the Shared-use rink House.” Please be advised that the information provided in this article is not in accordance with policies and procedures that the City of Toronto, Parks and Recreation adheres to in the operation of its public facilities.

The City of Toronto, operates all public facilities in accordance with Human Rights outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Code. These rights, along with City of Toronto policies work to achieve the greatest possible use of public facilities for all users.

The policy surrounding breastfeeding in public facilities states that a mother has a right to breastfeed anywhere, at anytime and in any manner that she sees fit. The following two excerpts from the City of Toronto Policy as well as the Ontario Human Rights Code, demonstrate this right.

City of Toronto policy on breast feeding on city premises

“A reasonable effort must be made to secure a designated private space appropriate for breastfeeding or expressing breast milk for employees (individuals) who request it. The designated space may be multi-purpose, provided that alternative space is readily available if that space is in use.”

Ontario Human Rights Code

“You have rights as a nursing mother. For example, you have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. No one should prevent you from nursing your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to ‘cover up’ disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more 'discreet'.”

Staff are aware of these policies and strive to uphold them. Please be advised for future occurrences, that the Friends of Dufferin Grove and other volunteers abide by City of Toronto policy. Thank you again for your attention in this matter.

Yours truly,

Don Boyle
Director, Parks and Recreation, South District

C.C
Mayor David Miller, City of Toronto Mayor.
Councillor Adam Giambrone Ward 18 Davenport
Brenda Librecz, General Manager, Parks and Recreation.
James Dann, Manager, Parks and Recreation South District, West Region

[Ahleemah]

ooooh good one

WOW that's a great letter!

So the question is, will Dufferin Park just dig in their heels and continue this ridiculous tantrum or listen to their higher authority?

I can't even bear to read Ms. Mason's arrogant "more breastfeeding-friendly-than-thou" statements on the DP link..... ugh. Like we all don't know moms who've breastfed that are totally uptight and nasty about women bfding in public....

A.

[Janice in Canada]

I've learnt more about this in the past day. Jutta Mason is a retired, long-time LLL Leader. Go figure. She's well known by other LLL Leaders in TO.

Actually that explains things a little more. She has totally internalized the LLL "you can breastfeed discreetly - there's no need for you to expose yourself" credo. IME, LLL always spent more time teaching moms how to bf discreetly, than to know and stand up for their rights. Perhaps that was good, back in the day when Jutta was Leader - I'm told that at that time, women could have been arrested for indecency due to bfing in public.

But times have changed, and I think moms nowadays are more familiar with their rights, and expect more. They may also be more comfortable with having more skin exposed. I think more moms are being successful in bfing, without having been part of LLL (ie there is more support from Internet, Public health etc - LLL is not the only source of bf support). So they are not indoctrinated to LLL philosophy.

Over and over, I hear from LLL leaders that they want pregnant/new moms to know that they don't have to expose themselves to breastfeed. They say that is imperative that they send this message otherwise moms won't breastfeed, or will think that LLL is too radical. But in always talking about "discreet' bfing, they send the message that one SHOULD be discreet. And in the process, (in cases like Erika's), they instead look like they are abandoning the already bfing mom, who may not be discreet by their standards. The moms who ARE bfing, want LLL to stand up for them. Misquoted or not, the result was that in the NOW article, Erika was not defended. How many new/expecting moms were scared off of breastfeeding, by seeing how Erika was treated????

I think the fact that this woman was a LLL Leader, calls for LLL to examine and clarify their policy and teachings on discreetness. I think Jutta thinks she is right (and would have approval from her bfing community peers) and that is why she refuses to change her stance, and apologise. I'm told that she is now telling the topless activists, exactly what can be exposed and what can't!

Wouldn't it be interesting (horrible???) if a former LLL leader was charged with bfing discrimination under the OHRC? As it is, it seems like the OHRN, City of Toronto and Councilor Gambione are already doing a better job of defending Erika's position, than LLL itself.

Janice
(I was a LLL Leader Applicant, and LLL helped me alot, however I feel there is much room for improvement in their advocacy efforts. They need to move into the next century)

[Ahleemah]

Janice who are the topless activists and why the heck is Jutta involved in telling them what they can expose?

I sooo wish I were in Toronto right now.... I would be on the freakin ICE of that hockey rink in my Bravado and long johns nursing my 3 year old... ;-)

A.

[Janice in Canada]

The "topless activists" are people involved with Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA) at http://topfree.ca/.

I had contacted Co-ordinator Dr. Paul Rapoport about this incident. I met him last year when we both spoke at a Breastfeeding Conference in Edmonton, AB. I wasn't quite sure about involving "topfree" advocacy with breastfeeding advocacy, but he was a keynote speaker (to a room of 300 mainstream public health workers ) Anyhow he really impressed me with his reasoning that until we truly have "topfreedom", women will always have trouble with NIP.

Anyhow, he wrote a letter to Jutta (after clearing it with Erika that she was okay with him getting involved) his letter and her response is here: (look at bottom of page)
http://www.dufferinpark.ca/editor/ed...tml#listserver

Anyhow, apparently Jutta has also corresponded with another person from this organization, and implied that a brief glimpse of nipple on unlatching is okay (thanks, Jutta ) but lifting a shirt or part
thereof is not.

Dr. Rapoport is a University professor, and has been involved with TERA all through the legal challenges that brought about the legality of being topless for women in Ontario.

Janice

[Jane]

I just sent a really short note to Erika with support. I don't feel like getting angry and writing a letter, I'm kind of sad she's going through this experience. Maybe if she's counting how many are pro and how many are con, I've added to the positive pile.

[Janice in Canada]

BTW, anyone who has written or cc'ed the Friends of Dufferin Park....
http://www.dufferinpark.ca/aboutus/b...risis2005.html
(scroll to bottom)

It looks like they are posting these emails onto the site.

I just found out that they have posted my complete email (including my full name and conctact info) from my CLOSED email Yahoo list (bfcanadanews - see link in my sig line below). As I said, my list is CLOSED (as are the archives) and membership must have be approved. So I consider this PRIVATE correspondence to my list members, not to be reprinted without my permission. Someone must have passed on the email to them, and they saw fit to reprint it.

Ahleemah, they have also posted your letters, without your name. If these are considered "letters to the editor", why are they not including your name?
If they are not "letters to the editor" but private correspondence, why are they publishing it, without permission? They are breaking privacy and confidentiality.

Interesting, in all this publishing of letters, they have not seen fit to publish the letter from Parks and Recreation telling them that their policy is not in accordance with City of Toronto policy.

Janice