I'm going to email them. I hate those polls. I posted this blurb on a local message board I'm on.
I hope I can get my point across clearly. Sometimes, it's hard through email. The whole Applebees incident is unbelievable especially corporates response saying they were considering keeping blankets on hand for nursing mothers. Give me a break. They don't get it. I nurse anywhere I am and if it offends you look away it is your problem not mine. In one instance the government is trying to increase the number of mothers who nurse and in the next you have society saying it's gross and they don't want to see it. I think it's gross some of the clothes women wear but that's my issue and luckily they are protected and have the freedom to dress how they want. I see more flesh on a skimpy dressed women than a women breastfeeding. The issue to me isn't the "exposure of breast" that people get offended with, it's the fact the lady is nursing. Most women who nurse don't really show a whole lot except the occasional pop off.
The other thing that irritates me to no end is when this issue pops up the media will throw a question on their websites: "Do you think it's okay for women to nurse in public?" yes or no. This question is asinine in my humble opinion. Who gives a @#$%^ what they think. It's my civil right to nurse in public so it doesn't matter what public opinion has to say about it. I find the question offensive b/c people who may consider nursing will choose not to because society says it's gross.
Ok, here comes the part Im going to try to express without sounding like an idiot. I compare the aforementioned question to this one. Do you think African Americans should be allowed to dine in the same restaurant as you. Obviously they would never pose such a question. Men and women have fought hard over the past century to protect their civil rights. And any person, race, creed, etc has the right to dine in a restaurant. It's the law. So, could you imagine if someone complained to the restaurant manager that they were offended xyz is eating because of their race. The manager is not going to go to xyz and say Sir, you'll have to stop eating here bc another guest is offended. They are not going to argue with xyz that the comfort of all their guests is important and their other guests have rights too.
See this is basically what Applebee's did. The waitress came over and told the women who was nursing that customers were uncomfortable and she needed to use a blanket. The lady said, it's my right to nurse anywhere and asked for the manager. The manager came over and told her she needed to cover up, she passed the manager a copy of the state statute that says she has the legal right to nurse and not be harrassed. The manager's response was that's fine and dandy but my other customer's are uncomfortable so you need to cover up.
I am becoming very passionate about my rights as a mother and get very irritated with businesses that think once you step into their establishment that they don't have to abide by the law. Grrrrr. I will never step foot into Applebees because they are not family friendly and I will not support a company that says I can not feed my child.
Okay, I'm stepping off the soapbox.
