This is a long-standing issue in women's rights -- do women see themselves
as victims of society/culture/institutions/other people, helpless and
hopeless and buffeted about by the whims of others, or do they see
themselves as actors, as contributors to the current
society/culture/insitutions and situations?  Is "culture" some big immovable
force out there, against which we are helpless, or is "culture" the sum
total of all our choices, day in and day out, all our actions and inactions?

No one can take advantage of you unless you let them.  It does no good to
simply whine "poor me" and claim that people are mean or are discriminating
or are unfair.  Nothing will change if women just roll over and let people
stomp on them.  Birth practices won't change, acceptance of public
breastfeeding won't change, discrimination against women in university
classes won't change, etc.  Of course the doctor's receptionist acted
inappropriately when she told the mother she couldn't breastfeed in the
waiting area, but the mother also acted inappropriately when she went along
with it.  Both of them acted in ways to perpetuate the belief that
breastfeeding is shameful and bad.  *Both of them* will need to change their
beliefs/actions in order to have a society where breastfeeding is not viewed
as shameful and bad.

Kathy Dettwyler

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