It is long past time that we place the health of our children ahead of our misguided morality in this country.
Since when did the sight of a mother nurturing her child by breastfeeding become a show of public indecency?
Is the American mind so small as to not be able to view the female breast as something aside from a signal for sex?
Today, we are happy to have the team from MomsRising.org back to speak to a very important piece of legislation that is currently stalled in Congress. Please lend a hand in getting your representatives to take action to ensure that breastfeeding is not treated as a crime.
Just a couple of months ago, a mother was kicked out of a museum in New York for breastfeeding, a perfectly legal act in that state. Mothers continue to suffer discrimination and humiliation for breastfeeding, even though doctors recommend breastfeeding for all infants. Clearly we need Congress to pass the Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 3799) now--before more mothers are stigmatized and humiliated for breastfeeding.
Representative Carolyn Maloney's Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 3799) would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect breastfeeding by new mothers by providing tax credits to employers who provide a place to breastfeed and/or provide breast pumps. This makes it a lot easier for women who want to give their babies breastmilk and keep their jobs. As you may know, 82% of American women become mothers by the time they are forty-four years old, so this issue is critically important to a large portion of our nation. To read the bill, visit The Library of Congress Website.
But this Act is currently stalled in Congress, and isn't going to move forward without increased citizen pressure. You can supply that pressure.
MomsRising members have successfully raised awareness about the need to protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers in the past and can do it again. Last year, MomsRising members and other activists changed Delta Airlines' corporate policies when a mother was kicked off a flight for breastfeeding.
We can harness this same power to push through the Breastfeeding Promotion Act, but we need your help contacting Congress. Let's support mothers who are nurturing and caring for the next generation of Americans. Those nursing babies may not be able to vote, but their mothers can!
Forward this email so your friends and family can contact their representatives too. It's going to take all of our voices, and then some to get this legislation moving forward. We need tens of thousands of messages to go to Congress supporting breastfeeding.
CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPERSON NOW!
--
6 comments:
One solution to breast-feeding in public is a BabyBella Hooter Hiders I know the name sounds a little weird but they are a perfect solution to this issue or different peoples sensitivity.
This is definitely a solution. But, it is still troubling to me that you have to essentially hide your baby to be able to feed it.
The old solution was to send mothers to the bathroom to feed. Whenever I heard that one, I always thought, "How would you like to eat in a public restroom?"
So, I guess I must ask, "How would you like to eat under a blanket?"
The Hooter Hider is a stop gap solution until we can change the laws and attitudes that consider all breasts as sexual and immoral.
I agree with Kevin.
Hooter Hiders may allow a mother to breasfeed her child in public but it is a solution which panders to the prejudices of some.
I know there is still prejudice in the UK and occasionally one hears of a mother being asked to leave premises. Our 2 children were breastfed for 4 years and 20 months and not once was there a problem. Obviously our experiences are not mirrored by all.
Wishing your campaign success.
I second your second Calum.
It is a solution, but not to the real problem.
We actually have one of these and Jen uses it. But, I always feel bad having to smother my child just so he can eat.
I would truly like to know what folks find so offensive about a bare breast and a suckling child.
breastfeeding children have a right to eat openly like the rest of us.
the people who find it offensive are dirty minded fools.
You said it sister!
Post a Comment