There are lots of people breastfeeding in public, but most are still being
so discreet that you have to know what you are looking for to even notice.

I think that in decades past, when someone stared or made a rude comment to
a bf mom, she slunk home in tears and never ventured out again.  In recent
years, women have been more willing to say "It is my right to breastfeed my
baby in public," thus we have nurse-in, complaints to the department of
health about rude treatement, and legislative protection for bf women's
rights.  This garners the topic a lot of interest, and more people talk
about it and are willing to express their ideas about it.  It is a typical
backlash one sees when a movement is actually gaining some momentum and
making some progress.

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Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.                         email: [log in to unmask]
Anthropology Department                               phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University                                    fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX  77843-4352
http://www.prairienet.org/laleche/dettwyler.html