Brace yourself, the Breastfeeding Police are at it again in Georgia. This time they've locked their sights on slutty exhibitionist moms who dare to think they can feed their 2-year-old in public and get away with it.
What is going on down there? Have all the peaches gone bad? First a Georgia school district banned breastfeeding for students and teachers. And now a town council in Forest Park has equated extended breastfeeding to public indecency.
Look, I get it. Not everyone is comfortable with nursing moms -- and they may never be, no matter how much they read up on it. But we all have things that are perfectly legal that we really don't like, that we have no right to impede upon.
Logic, more than emotion, goes into the acceptance of a lot of things outside your lifestyle choices. But this!? The 'Logic Train' to Georgia has definitely derailed.
In an attempt to "control public nudity," they've decided that nursing a child over the age of 2 will no longer be covered by the state law that excludes nursing women from being charged with indecent exposure. So for right now, my toddler and my nursing relationship is wholesome ... but in two months, suddenly it goes from me nursing her to illegal public nudity?
How is this legal? I was fairly sure city laws couldn't contradict state laws ... from what I can tell, Forest Park isn't a 'Home Rule' city either, so this shouldn't even carry weight! Their previous law only had rules about adult entertainment businesses, but I guess these "slutty" moms of toddlers have been causing quite a ruckus? You know, taking out a breast to feed a toddler and all ... unless there are tassels involved, all I'm seeing is a giant waste of time and resources, and a really crappy message to women who've made it that long in the first place.
Imagine if pacifier use suddenly became illegal, or your baby's favorite stuffed animal or sippy cups, in public ... same deal to a toddler, by the way, give or take some nutrition and whatnot. Since when is breastfeeding damaging to society?
And I thought Tennessee had issues with its own restrictive breastfeeding law, preventing the public nursing of a child over 1, which they at least managed to fix. Between this and the Georgia school district banning breastfeeding, it's no surprise Georgia is only a tiny step above Tennessee with a pathetic 9.7 percent of babies being exclusively breastfed until only 6 months.
Look, when my daughter turns 2, there's no magic jump. It's not the Sims here -- she doesn't spin around and magically turn into a child with spurts of confetti, and suddenly all my interactions with her change accordingly. I'll nurse her the day before her birthday, on it, and the day after, and aside from a fun party in there, and her being RIGHT when she answers, "TWO!" when asked how old she is, nothing else changes. It certainly doesn't magically make my breasts sex objects.
Oh Georgia ... how long until this gets retracted? For being in a part of the country with the highest rates of obesity and diabetes, and ranked 43rd in overall health, you really can't afford to punish women and their children who've succeeded in something HEALTHY and GOOD. And, much less can you afford to try to link breastfeeding to something sexual, perverted, or damaging -- a message that has a much further reach and heavier impact than just this law.
If you want to let them know what you think, send a message, email, or call City Hall yourself. Maybe thousands of emails that say that the World Health Organization and multiple Surgeons General recommend 2 as a minimum -- not max -- might help get the point across? Be proactive!
What do you think of Forest Park's law?
Image via byrdiegyrl/Flickr
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Comments 156
JUST STUPID....I am embarrassed to live in Georgia!!!
I too am stunned by the comments by some mothers here that think this is law is a good idea. Really, really? You want laws made to take away something a child loves dearly? seriously? If you have only bfed for ~ 6 months (even out to a year year), you probably just never got to the point of seeing how much it means to them. You didn't get the point where they say or sign "milky". You didn't get to the point where they grab your hand and bring you to the bed to lay with them. The 6 months you gave them was awsome but they just weren't doing it long enough to show their appreciations. It is not about food (although if cow milk is good for you still, mommas milk certainly is too!), its about comfort/safety of knowing momma is there. It is NOT about mom. I promise you. It is not about her wishes/wants/likes beyond just wanting to comfort her child and keep her child healthy, just like every other momma out there.
zandhmom....that is YOUR opinion! My kids nursed til lthey were 4 and I cannot say I did it to enjoy it. I nursed my kids till they were ready to wean & it was natural & normal & healthy. They are now 28 & 30 yrs old and they are very normal and healthy adults. Just because YOU did not do something does not make it normal for everyone else. I hope you can grasp that thought:)
For the record, to the person who said remembering breast feeding will mess a person up; I remember breast feeding. I was over 2 when my mom weaned me, and I have keen memories of going to her for "mummy bubbas". This had two long lasting affects on me: 1. I am a breast feeding advocate, and 2. I am healthy as a horse. I do not look back on those days with disgust, I simply remember spending time with my mom.
As for this law, I also believe its rediculous. The reason we have a problem with breastfeeding is beccause we're taught to have a problem with it.
Wow, I'd really be in trouble here, except that my daughter is only 9 months old. I'm physically disabled, and often find it difficult to keep myself covered perfectly while breastfeeding. And even when I can keep that blanket perfectly placed, I'm in pain the whole time. I don't believe a good mother would try to be "slutty", to use the word from the blog, so how can this law really be reasonable. Let me guess, a man had something to do with it? Or maybe many men.
I just emailed them. What a ridiculous waste of time and resources to pass this law. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously ignorant of the benefits of breastfeeding.
zandhmom2, I breastfeed my over 2 year old daugher in public almost daily. Did you ever consider some children have eating struggles and are behind other children their own age when it comes to eating? Have you ever considered a child who has severre food allergies so the mother must continue to breastfeed in order to give her child a well balanced diet?