The Christians Seem Fine With It, To Be Honest
UPDATE: I accidentally posted this on my book blog instead of my baby blog where it belongs, so sorry if you are like MY EYES! But it got a lot of hits so I thought I’d leave it here anyway.
Over on The Feminist Breeder (do you read this blog, by the way? You absolutely must) I was reading about a nurse-in. You can read the full story there, but basically, a man threw a mother out of his shop; not because she was shoplifting, or drunk, or throwing paint at his merchandise; but because she was DUH DUH DUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHH breastfeeding. This got reported and a lot of people went to protest by all taking their babies and proudly breastfeeding them in his shop. Good on you ladies. (It seems like nurse-ins are a thing? I had not heard of them before.)
Anyway my favourite part of this story is how The Feminist Breeder patiently explained that it is actually illegal in the US to discriminate against women like this. As she puts it ‘the guy says “But CHRISTIANS come in here!” and I said “JESUS WAS BREASTFED”.’
So I went to church this morning and the baby needed feeding and all I could think was “But CHRISTIANS come in here!” I have breastfed in the front of a mini, in the back of a mini, in a golf club, in more pubs than I should really count, in a crematorium car park, in a petrol station car park….in more or less every car park within a fifty mile radius, to be honest. There is probably not a lorry driver in the land who hasn’t had seen more than he bargained for.
Nevertheless, I did feel like a church pew was possibly a step too far (even though JESUS WAS BREASTFED…I love that). But the parish hall off to the side was absolutely fine. In fact, no fewer than four people asked me if they could get me a cup of tea. (I managed to restrain myself to one).
So there we are. Happy Sunday, Christians and breastfeeders and those who are both. And random crazy man in Illinois? I’ll have a cup of tea please.
Posted on November 6, 2011, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Comments.
That is both sad and funny. “Christians come in here!” Like Christians don’t have breasts, lol! I love her response. Mary didn’t have formula. Sounds like you have great people in your church.
Also – churchy people are generally quite big on babies (grossly generalising here, but still). Just sayin’. I love the attention that the topic has got on TFB.
I’m actually not a huge let’s-pop-out-the-boobs-in-public woman (& as a former preschool teacher have seen my fair share of that). Not because I think it’s improper, but rather it feels awkward to be part of such an intimate thing as a total outsider (obviously feels different when it’s a good friend doing it vs. a total stranger). It’s kind of like having to use the restroom -just because everyone has to (or had to) do it doesn’t mean we leave the doors wide open in a public restroom. That said, there are SO many ways to breastfeed publicly now-a-days while keeping totally covered… they even have “fashionable” covers to give you and your baby privacy while still being surrounded by people. I wonder if that can’t be a compromise between moms who are incredibly not shy and strangers who are.
I’m with you on stepping into the hall to nurse instead of in the pew. Pews are pretty tight quarters. In many newer churches here we actually have nursing rooms where moms can go and still see and hear the sermon while having privacy (one way mirrored glass and/ or over TV). It’s also a place where parents (men or women) can take screaming babies/ toddlers) without having to leave the building.
Am not surprised to hear we have stricter discrimination laws – we are the land of sue first ask questions later.
Interesting article, Lyndsey!
I agree with you Wallace there is no need to be waving them about all over the place
however, have to admit that in the early weeks when I was still learning how to do it and needed to see what I was doing, I was so busy fretting about whether I was doing it right and so relieved to have actually left the house that ‘what other people might think’ was the last thing on my mind! But now i know what I am doing, it is pretty easy to be discreet, as long as I am wearing a top which I can just pull up rather than one that needs pulling down. Also now I know all the places in my neighbourhood which are comfortable for feeding in – and number one is the children’s library – which makes things a lot easier 
Yes, very interesting post. I know some airports, for instance, offer nursing areas, complete with rocking-chairs. Other places like shopping-malls, churches, libraries, should probably do the same.
On a similar note, what does your husband think of the way changing rooms are usually inside the women’s toilets? Has he ever had to go to one? Was it weird? Reminds me of a scene about such a situation in the movie “Jack & Sarah”.
I cannot believe someone was thrown out of a store for breastfeeding. I breastfed all four of my kids… My daughter breastfed her two… And we all know Jesus was breatfed! So was his mother… Probably until the age of at least three. This really gave me a chuckle! Hugs!
WHERE ARE YOU THESE DAYS. The internet misses you.