Debate: Is Public Breastfeeding Rude?
Lots of women do it, and lots of women do it in public. This article addresses the breastfeeding in public debate, as it seems to be a hot topic not only in the US, but worldwide.
A Brief Summary Of Laws Regarding Breastfeeding In Public
While it may surprise or even downright shock you when you see a woman breastfeeding in public, it may be even more surprising to know that there are certain laws regarding the act. For example, countries like Australia, Canada, and Germany allow women to publicly breastfeed, while China considers the act embarrassing. In India, women are required to adhere to their region’s cultural practices and overall acceptance of the act, and Saudi Arabian women are allowed to openly breastfeed their infants in public, even though they (the women) are fully veiled. With so many different rules and regulations regarding the act, it’s no wonder that the breastfeeding in public debate rages on.
In the US, breastfeeding laws and policies vary from state to state, although a limited federal law applies to breastfeeding on federal government premises. An amendment to the US House of Representatives bill HR 2490 gives women the right to breastfeed on government property IF the woman and her child are already authorized to be on the premises, and it forbids the use of government funds to enforce prohibition of a woman breastfeeding in a Federal building or on Federal property. When it comes to non-Federal buildings or property, such as airlines, restaurants, and malls, the law becomes a bit more complicated. The federal laws do not apply to these privately owned businesses on private property. The exception to this is employers with 50 or more employees. However, the entire breastfeeding in public debate has become such a hot topic that legislation has been passed in 49 states that either explicitly allows women to breastfeed in public, or exempts them from prosecution for indecent exposure or public indecency.
What’s YOUR opinion?
As the breastfeeding in public debate continues, it’s interesting to note that while some people view it as a natural, normal act, some people are highly offended by the sight of a woman providing nourishment to her child the natural way, in public. While breastfeeding in public is not, and never has been, overtly sexual, some people seem to be more offended by the sight of a breast in public than they are by the literal saturation of sex that we are subjected to by all forms of media every single day. What does this say about society as a whole, and what message is this going to send to young mothers who are advised, and want to, breastfeed? Think about it.