Discrimination at Six Flags

[fyrebloom]

I haven't posted to this forum before, but I'm nursing my one year old twins and my 2 1/2 year old son and experienced my first discrimination for NIP. We went to Six Flags New England yesterday and I was asked to cover up or leave because I was breastfeeding. We were in the playground at Wiggle's World and the staff worker told me I had to stop breastfeeding in the area and go to the nursing station (across the park) because I wasn't allowed to nurse there. I asked her why I had to stop and she said there were kids around and I might offend the other parents. I covered up because Willow was done at that point but I was shocked she's actually say something! I thought the nursing area was for my COMFORT not to hide me away. I'm so mad. If I had been anyone else I'd have been mortified, maybe even stop breastfeeding in public. How many women have they done this to already? I was far more clothed then most of their patrons so this is just ridiculous. I just wrote to them to complain about how I was treated because I not only deserve an apology, but my child's right to EAT needs to be protected. I'm anxiously awaiting their reply on this. MA still doesn't have laws protecting breastfeeding and it's just sick that I can't even use the law to back up my case to some amusement park worker!

[Chandar]

Please fill out a report at www.FirstRight.org

MA still has no law.

FR is compiling a database of all of these incidents nationwide.

[jessjgh1]

Lucia,
Thanks for posting this... you may also get some other support if you care to post in the MA tribal area.... and others there (including me) willing to follow up if you so choose (letters to support you to Six Flag mgmt, etc) since we are in MA

Other suggestions are to contact the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition and your local LLL and report this. The MBC had been working on information to education companies, and THIS is exactly what is needed. Hopefully mgmt will come back with an appropriate apology and educate an errant employee...

Thanks for taking action to write-- I'm glad you were able to resolve the issue without being intimidated by the employee, but boy, that makes me mad too. And you are right- it coudl be intimidating to someone else.

I think they picked on the wrong momma, wrong tandem nursing momma at that(-; I wish you had gotten the positive attention you should have received... for nursing twins and showing the next generation the normal way to feed and nurture our children.

Please also consider forwarding this (perhaps later on) to your local representatives to urge them to support the breastfeeding bills.

hugs and high fives!

Jessica

[fyrebloom]

I submitted this to first right and will contact my local groups too. I'll keep you posted about what 6F says in response. I argued with her until my daughter was done about how in any other state asking me to stop would be illegal and all but it was frustrating to say the least. They definitely picked the wrong lactivist to bother. I've spoken to my local senator and rep and sent family pics when the bill was coming up this last time but I guess it's been delayed again :. I'll be making more calls now that this has happened. If they respond negatively I may write to the Herald too. They love stories like this . Thanks for the support ladies!

[Livviesmom0207]

Fyre, I'm im MA too, I live less than 10 miles from 6F.

Just wanted to give some support!

[fyrebloom]

So I called the state speaker of the house, the chair of the ways and means committee (where the breastfeeding bill is currently stuck) and the chair of the Steering, Policy and Scheduling committee (the local rep for my district) and hopefully the gears will start going again on the law. Rep Donato (who I spoke to directly) said he will speak to the Speaker and try to get an informal session in to get this to a vote. Keep your fingers crossed. Still no word from 6F.

[AidansMommy1012]

Ugh mama, what a thing to go through. As though it's not difficult enough to go out with three little ones in tow. I hope you get a repentant letter from 6F soon. LOVE the rompers your twins are wearing in your siggie!

[zensven42]

Oh, so sorry that happened! I had a similar incident a while back at another theme park, and they went as far as to call the police on me. It ruined my comfort level of NIP forever. I still do it, but now I am paranoid that every person will complain to me. I offer big hugs of commiseration from afar

Hopefully your complaint to Six Flags can get the ball rolling on getting them to come up with a positive breastfeeding policy for their parks.

If you need any other assistance, or an ear to listen, feel free to PM me.
Also, let us know how it turns out-

Good luck!

[N8'sMom]

Originally Posted by zensven42

Oh, so sorry that happened! I had a similar incident a while back at another theme park, and they went as far as to call the police on me. It ruined my comfort level of NIP forever. I still do it, but now I am paranoid that every person will complain to me. I offer big hugs of commiseration from afar

Hopefully your complaint to Six Flags can get the ball rolling on getting them to come up with a positive breastfeeding policy for their parks.

If you need any other assistance, or an ear to listen, feel free to PM me.
Also, let us know how it turns out-

Good luck!

They called the police???? What theme park??

[white_queen_22]

Originally Posted by zensven42

Oh, so sorry that happened! I had a similar incident a while back at another theme park, and they went as far as to call the police on me. It ruined my comfort level of NIP forever. I still do it, but now I am paranoid that every person will complain to me. I offer big hugs of commiseration from afar

Hopefully your complaint to Six Flags can get the ball rolling on getting them to come up with a positive breastfeeding policy for their parks.

If you need any other assistance, or an ear to listen, feel free to PM me.
Also, let us know how it turns out-

Good luck!

They threatened to call the police? What in the world!

I so want more details. What state? Wat park?

To the OP - How awesome that you are using your situation proactively!

Angela <><

[zensven42]

As I do not want to distract from the OP's situation so I will just give you a link to the thread where I posted my story and you can read it there.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...529&highlight=

Actually, the original thread was very long and had hundreds of posts, but people were getting carried away and the moderator had to delete most of the replies and start over.

I really never got a chance to get complete resolution from the theme park, and the people I had helping me in that area flaked on me. I eventually just took the apology and left them alone as far as getting policy changed is concerned. (Firstright is still looking into this though). I hope that the OP can possibly call for change as far as Six Flags is concerned as they are such a large corporation. Disney made changes, and Six Flags can too.

I forgot to mention that to the OP- Disney had a discrimination case a few years back and now have a policy in all their parks that women nursing anywhere on Disney property are not to be bothered at all, asked to cover up or move. It might help to mention this to 6 Flags as they compete heavily with Disney and could take an example from them.

I really think that breastfeeding discrimination committed by these large entities, if followed up on, can help open the door to policy and social changes. If we can get these larger entities to create positive policies for people NIP on their property, then smaller entities and society will follow. I think 6 Flags definitely counts as one of these larger entities so YOU GO GIRL! Situations like this should never have to happen to anyone

[ColoradoMama]

Somehow I missed the story about the Denver Six Flags (It was probably in that thread somewhere but Elitch Gardens is a Six Flags). I can understand how the thread got out of hand - it's old news and I'm sitting here with my blood boiling wanting to go down to the police station and have a chat with those officer!!!!!!!

And now another Six Flags has had an incident?!?! Sounds like it's time to have an organized letter writing campaign to Six Flags. :

[zensven42]

Actually Elitch Gardens is no longer owned by Six Flags, and wasn't at the time of my incident. If it had been, I would have been way more adament about them changing their policy. I hope the OP is better than me at follow-up.

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by zensven42

Actually Elitch Gardens is no longer owned by Six Flags, and wasn't at the time of my incident. If it had been, I would have been way more adament about them changing their policy. I hope the OP is better than me at follow-up.

Boy - I know a lot about my own city, eh?

[white_queen_22]

Originally Posted by fyrebloom

So I called the state speaker of the house, the chair of the ways and means committee (where the breastfeeding bill is currently stuck) and the chair of the Steering, Policy and Scheduling committee (the local rep for my district) and hopefully the gears will start going again on the law. Rep Donato (who I spoke to directly) said he will speak to the Speaker and try to get an informal session in to get this to a vote. Keep your fingers crossed. Still no word from 6F.

Keep us posted on what happens!

Angela <><