Texas Nurse-In against theatre

[Janice in Canada]

Breastfeeding mom prepares to have ‘nurse-in'

Texas

http://seguingazette.com/story.lasso...7e4674eda8a733

SEGUIN — A local mother nursing a grudge against King Ranger Theatre employees’ response to her breast feeding in the lobby last week is making sure Friday night theatergoers know it.

Seguin resident Kimberly Bartholomew has organized a “nurse-in” — a term that takes its cues from the 1960s Civil Rights demonstrations — during which nursing mothers will join her in protest with babies on breast outside the theatre.

(see link for full article)

Janice

[Janice in Canada]

I think this article, and situation in Texas, is worth discussing. Once again, this Texas law seems to be very weak, if it does not apply to private property. (Recall the Round Rock (was that the name?) Resturant incident of a few years ago).

What about the California law, doesn't it apply to private property? No wonder moms are running into trouble, if all the state laws are different.

Janice




From the article:
Specifically, the cards state “A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be.” But the statue, which is taken from Chapter 165.002 of the THSC, can only be enforced on public property, said Seguin Police Department Detective Sgt. Maureen Watson.

“Under Texas Law, breastfeeding in public is legal,” Watson said. “But on private property, people can assert their own standards or moral conduct. If people are offended and complained to the management, the management can ask someone to leave.”

Police will enforce the management’s wishes in “order to keep the peace,” Watson said. Because the incident was resolved without any altercation — the family’s money was returned and they left the theater — no criminal offense was committed. It is not against the law to show the female breast in public, Watson clarified, only parts below the waist.

[Janice in Canada]

Here's some more background to this loophole in the Texas Law:

http://parentwiseaustin.com/Breastfeeding/index.html

[Janice in Canada]

Here's more from the Lactnet archives (LLL Texas interpretation)

http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/...atch%3BMatches

[lissabob]

Oh boy. Sounds like mgmt is not going to be welcoming. Does anybody here know more about this?

[Janice in Canada]

Originally Posted by lissabob

Oh boy. Sounds like mgmt is not going to be welcoming. Does anybody here know more about this?

I agree. This is what worries me about this Texas law loophole. In most cases, when a business realizes it is going to be subject to a Nurse-In (and media attention) they pull out the positive PR machine and try to make themselves look nicey-nicey. (ie TRU serving water and snacks to the moms at the NYC Toys-R-Us nurse-in)

However, in the Round Rock case, and with this mgt, when they think that the law is on *their* side, then they think they can be beligerent and not welcoming to the nursing moms. Not only are the *not* welcoming, but they are actually threatening to call police.

Janice

[Janice in Canada]

Here's a couple of articles about the Round Rock incident in 2004 that I am referring to

http://www.kvue.com/news/tuma/storie....3e378599.html

http://www.nurseatstarbucks.com/donotcoverup.html

[lml41981]

I wrote a letter to my State representative in response to some trouble I had on my HOA property. Her response was that she thinks a woman breastfeeding in public ought to seek out a private place to go and that she should have the decency not to breastfeed in public. I spoke on the phone with her after that response and decided to wait until after re-elections to send her a packet of information about other states' laws. Now I know I need to get on that.

It doesn't sound like this theatre manager is going to allow the nurse-in. I hope these moms are going to nurse on city-property and not theatre property so that nobody gets arrested.

Also, Texas police enforce the penal code. Our breastfeeding laws are in the health and safety codes. The trespassing law is in the penal code, so what we need is to have our law re-written to take out the loophole and put it in the penal code so the police can enforce it. They also won't enforce something until a judge defines it. So, if a woman were to be arrested for breastfeeding and the judge issued a ruling stating that our law pertains to private property, too, then the loophole is removed and I *think* police could enforce the law without it being in the penal code. Not 100% sure on that.

I would go to this nurse-in if it were not 4 hours away.

[thedevinemissm]

[meltf]

All this just chaps my hide. I'm new to TX and find this so disturbing. I truely wish I could go, I live in Austin, but I'm 7 weeks preggo (and nursing a toddler) and whipped and in the throws of MS. Uggg, maybe I'll peel myself off of the sofa.

[Sabo]

Originally Posted by lml41981

I wrote a letter to my State representative in response to some trouble I had on my HOA property. Her response was that she thinks a woman breastfeeding in public ought to seek out a private place to go and that she should have the decency not to breastfeed in public.

Well, you'd almost think that politicians' jobs are to only represent themselves, not their constituents, wouldn't you? Its good to know that someone who cares so little about her constituents would get elected in the first place.:

Also, it wouldn't be breastfeeding in public if you have to seek out a private place. Boy, she really is backwards; breastfeeding in public is indecent. Most people would at least lie and tell you that breastfeeding in public is ok as long as you are covered. Its still not good, but at least you can assume those people are actually human.

[Delta]

I wrote a letter to my State representative in response to some trouble I had on my HOA property. Her response was that she thinks a woman breastfeeding in public ought to seek out a private place to go and that she should have the decency not to breastfeed in public. I spoke on the phone with her after that response and decided to wait until after re-elections to send her a packet of information about other states' laws.

lml- Who is your state rep?! We DO need to get on that. Not just send packets about other states, but appeal to her common sense and explain what it's like to be a nursing mom - babies nurse all the time, pumps are expensive, etc.

We do need to see if anyone is going to introduce any legislation this coming session to beef up the current 'law'.