I bet you think this song is about you, don't you, don't you, don't you

[primroseburrows]

Apparently Starbucks employees in Maryland are asking breastfeeding women to cover up or go in the restroom. And the women are fighting back!!

Here's emmagrant01's take on things: What she said.

I hate Starbucks so much.


Oh, and wtf? Why are my hands all dried out even when I've been using gloves to clean all day? Hmph.

Comments

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

I sympathize with the women, to some extent but why is it okay for a woman to breastfeed in public without using a diaper or towel to cover up, yet it's not okay for Janet Jackson to show her breast? This country has a serious double standard.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Probably because in one case, she's using it for the purpose it was intended, and in the other, she's on national TV displaying her breast as a sex object. If she were nursing her baby on national TV, it would be a totally different frame of thought (and one completely not in the realm of Super Bowl Entertainment).

Having said that, I think the FCC made a big fuss over nothing with Janet Jackson. Bottom line, though: Jackson (along with the Super Bowl people) was exploiting sex for ratings. A woman feeding her child in a coffeeshop certainly is not. That's the difference, at least for me.

[ceilidh]

*agrees totally*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

One good thing about Janetgate is that we got Sir Paul as this year's halftime show. Sexiest sixty-three year old in the universe. *drools*

Wah. No Paul icon. I need to make one.

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

I'm all for breastfeeding in public places. Definitely. But what's so bad about having to cover up? I mean, asking a woman to leave just because she's breastfeeding is one thing, but I'll be honest. I breastfed Elise - plan on doing the same to this one - and I'm not flashing my tit to strangers. They make plenty of garments that make breastfeeding possible without it. To me, it's just common courtesy.

[patchfire.livejournal.com]

Obviously you've never had a child who refuses to nurse if something is too close to his or her head.

Equally obviously, you've never faced the checkbook at the beginning of the month - when payday just came - with dread, because let me tell you? Good nursing clothes are certainly not cheap.

Not to mention - a breast was intended for feeding an infant. Not for titillating people. I'm nursing my child, not 'flashing my tit.'

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

You know what, I didn't post what I did to be rude to primroseburrows. I was simply giving her another perpective.

And while a breast was intended for feeding a baby, you have to admit it ain't all it's intended for - thank goodness, because I dig my tits as sexual objects as well, thankssomuch.

And if you're too poor to afford a light sheet to cover up with, then you're probably too poor to be in Starbucks in the first place. Seriously. It's one thing to fight for having breastfeeding mothers be supported - I'm BFAR so I go through GREAT LENGTHS to breastfeed - but it's another thing to get upset about not having the right to be barebreasted whereever you want just because you're breastfeeding. As far as I know, Starbucks is a private company and caters to a customer base - likely most of whom don't really want to see a bare tit staring back at them at 6am before their latte even if there is a kid attached to it. I don't. It wouldn't bother me enough to say anything about it, but, yeah, I'll fess up, it doesn't exactly make me want to order that x-tra whip cream, if you know what I mean.

[alfirin-kirinki.livejournal.com]

You know what? I hate seeing women breastfeed. Hate it. I don't care if it's natural, I don't care if you can't see anything - it just makes me cringe.

It's just a squick I have. And yes - I am a prude, I'm a Virgo rising. Can't help it.

I know that having a young baby is difficult and that when they want a feed, they want a feed, but I couldn't sit and eat - or drink - with a woman nursing a baby sitting next to me any more than I can breathe sitting next to a smoker.

I'm with you, pretty much. It would just put me off and for a cafe that's not going to be good for business.

.a.

[ceilidh]

Then I suggest YOU go eat in the bathroom.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

But squicks are just that, squicks. If it squicks me to see someone eat meat, for example, nobody's going be thrown out of the baseball game for eating a hot dog. Just because it bothers you or me doesn't mean it bothers everyone.

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

Well, I wouldn't go that far. I personally don't mind seeing her brestfeed, I just don't want fully exposed breast staring me in the face. I just think common courtesy would be to cover up a little, you know?

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

And if you're too poor to afford a light sheet to cover up with, then you're probably too poor to be in Starbucks in the first place.

Yeah, but it's not just about Starbucks. Women probably aren't allowed to breastfeed in Wal-Mart, or at the post office or grocery store or DMV, either, and there are plenty of poor women who go to all those places. Breastfeeding is feeding--providing nourishment--and when my babies were hungry, I fed them. Most women who breastfeed in public don't flash their breast anyway; even non-nursing clothing can be used discreetly. If someone takes her shirt off to breastfeed, yeah, sure, tell her to stop being stupid and put it back on. But for the average woman, you have to be looking pretty close to even see a nipple when she's nursing her baby. It's not like she has to expose her entire torso, or even an entire breast. Starbucks patrons can enjoy their lattes in peace (although, bleh, their coffee SUCKS).


This is a civil liberties issue, IMO. And a feminist one.

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

Most women who breastfeed in public don't flash their breast anyway; even non-nursing clothing can be used discreetly. If someone takes her shirt off to breastfeed, yeah, sure, tell her to stop being stupid and put it back on. But for the average woman, you have to be looking pretty close to even see a nipple when she's nursing her baby.

I agree completely, so I must be confused. Did Starbucks ban breastfeeding in their shops - beacuse that's stupid - or ban women from exposing their breasts while doing it...two different things? I have preggo brain tpday.

[patchfire.livejournal.com]

You missed the first part of my comment if you're suggesting I want to throw a *sheet* over myself and my baby. The thing is, unless you're talking about nursing clothes, most ways of 'covering up' are going to irritate some babies... even if their mothers feel obligated to. And it's not about Starbucks. It's about the fact that sometimes babies have to eat wherever you are. Are you going to tell some woman that she's too poor to be at the Vital Records Office to file for her baby's birth certificate? Or maybe since she's poor, she just shouldn't be allowed out with that baby in public, period! Obviously, if her baby doesn't want to have a sheet over him/her, then they shouldn't be out at the library, or wherever, until they can afford something better!

And while a breast was intended for feeding a baby, you have to admit it ain't all it's intended for - thank goodness, because I dig my tits as sexual objects as well, thankssomuch.

Actually, no, I don't. I don't think that they were intended as sexual objects, because breast-as-sexual-object is a cultural construct, not a biological one.

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

Well, cultural or biological, tits bring sexual thoughts to lots and lots of people and all I'm saying is that I can totally see where it would make some people uncomfortable.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Breast-as-sexual-object is mostly unique to Western culture, as well.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I was hoping you'd show up with that icon.

I've been cleaning, mom. Although it doesn't look it.

[patchfire.livejournal.com]

Tee. In between posting on LJ, right? ;)

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I scrubbed (scrubbed, mind you) half the living room floor, rearranged some furniture, went to the bank, the pharmacy, the grocery store, and the Place What Sells Vacuum Bags. mr_t00by is helping on Sat, and tomorrow I'm doing some more cleaning before I go to NH to get him. We should be done by the time Linda gets here on Sunday.

Here we go

[waremtae.livejournal.com]

I have two daughters, a 9 year old and a 9 month old. I breast fed Amber (9 year old) for only 3 months. My decision to stop was made because of the remarks people would make when I was out in public. This time, with my second daughter, I plan to breastfeed for at least a year. It is the best thing you can do for your baby.
As for the people who have a problem with it... EVERYONE has a problem with something. Some people have a problem with PDA (public display of affection). Does that mean no one should kiss, hold hands, hug etc. etc. while in public? Me, I have a problem with women dressing themselves and their daughters like whores. I see it every day. Should these people be asked to leave a public place? Oh wait, I get it, no breast has been exposed. That's the whole problem right? Has anyone ever been to the beach? Watched women/girls parade up and down the sand wearing swimsuits smaller than a pair of my grandma's underwear? What about the guys? Bare chested with shorts that are so low you can almost see their short curlies? Someone PLEASE explain to me why that crap is OK but breastfeeding a child is not. Please don't say, in this case, it's not OK because it is a coffee shop. It's a public place no matter how you slice it and I have seen MUCH worse things go on in public places than a mother lovingly feeding her baby.
If something comes on TV that you don't agree with do you watch it anyway? No, you change the channel. Well, if you don't want to watch a woman breastfeed then I suggest you mind your own business and not watch her.

Re: Here we go

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

My decision to stop was made because of the remarks people would make when I was out in public.

That's one of the saddest things I've ever heard about breastfeeding. I'm so sorry. :(

Good luck with your next one, and geez. Illegitimi non carborundum. It's their problem, not yours.

P.S. That's mr_t00by in my icon (age 6 or so). He mentioned he'd spoken to you via LJ. *G*

Re: Here we go

[waremtae.livejournal.com]

Yep. You know I'm gonna talk to anyone who wants to talk about King. LOL
I keep checkin to see if he's joined the community. Not yet... I may have to harass him a bit on that one. heh heh heh

Re: Here we go

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I talked to him on the phone today and he said he would. As he's coming home tomorrow, I can sit him down and not take him to his friends' houses until he does. EEEEbil mom, me.

But then, he called today and said, "I have a simple algorithm for you: face the bookshelf, find The Dark Tower and take it off the shelf. Walk to the door, step outside. Go to the car, place book on seat". He wants to read it on the way home. Then he made me read all the titles in bold on the list (these being the DT-connected books) of other books by SK listed before the intro of Book 7, and tell him which ones were Most Important. :)

[starkittyn.livejournal.com]

Re the gloves thing. it may be that you sweated inside the gloves which is pretty much like soaking them in brine. I recommend that you put on liberal amounts of hand lotion or body oil on your hands before you put on gloves. Then you have skin softening going on.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

It also might be some weird reaction to latex. At work, our gloves are latex-free, but these are teh cheap ones from CVS and are Latex.