Nursing in Public reports.
Judy Ritchie
http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.com/
See last item at bottom: Illinois new moms get a card from the First Lady
of the state that breastfeeding is a legal right--and to spread that word.
July 18, 2007
Maine and Ohio moms win nursing in public cases, and the California Attorney
General wants your story.
I looked back over the last few weeks' posts, and there sure is a lot on
nursing in public. This does seem to be a banner year in legislation and
news stories on the topic.
In many states nursing in public statutes haven't been put to the test, so
it's pretty encouraging to read the following cases in which the law was
enforced and mothers' rights were upheld.
*First, in New York, a Maine mother won a $3,600 judgment against watchmaker
Fossil for prohibiting her from nursing in a showroom.*
In August 2006, while meeting with a salesperson in a Manhattan showroom, Ms
King was told she was making others feel uncomfortable by breast-feeding her
eight-month-old son, Cody.
Ms King was taken to another floor to finish feeding Cody but was then not
allowed back into the showroom.
*Next, the Ohio Human Rights Commission has ruled in favor of a woman who
was nursing at Lifestyle Family Fitness and was told to move to the locker
room. The company maintains that the nursing mother violated the rule that
patrons "wear shirts at all times." The mother, needless to say, was fully
clothed and not at all exposed. If the case can't be resolved at the
Commission, it'll get referred to the State Attorney General for
prosecution. From the statements below it looks like that's where it may
go.*
*Finally, I've seen a request circulating from the California Attorney
General's Office for stories from California nursing moms who have been
discriminated against in business establishments and other public places.
The office is looking for specific information (date, location, the act,
whether the mother was asked to cover up or leave). This information is to
be used only for the purposes of research and not for any public use.*
Mothers with stories are encouraged to contact: Sunny Sarkis, Civil Rights
Enforcement Division, State of California, Department of Justice,
Sacramento, CA 95814, 916-324-4085, or email Sunny Sarkis.
[log in to unmask]
A surprise in the mail.
Raenyn from Illinois, shown to the left with her daughter Sasha, sent me an
email when she got something unexpected in the mail - a card from the First
Lady of Illinois, Patricia Blagojevich, which reads:
"Dear Illinois Mother:
Congratulations on the new addition to your family. As a mother of two
young daughters, I know how special this time can be, and want to take a
moment to make sure you know about a new state law that directly affects
you.
The new law makes it illegal to prohibit women from breastfeeding in
public places. It is every woman's right to breastfeed her child in any
place, public or private.
Please help spread the word to all mothers that prohibiting them from
breastfeeding in public places is not only wrong, it is now illegal. Again,
congratulations.
Sincerely,
Patricia Blagojevich, First Lady"
Nice surprise, huh? But I can't figure out how they know that they're
writing to nursing moms. Or maybe they're sending it everyone. Your
thoughts?
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