A HUGE step backwards for nursing moms :(

if you don't comply with a request to nurse in a private place!
NIP? Not in Chandler AZ!
Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 9, 2005 02:15 PM

Mothers who breast-feed on Chandler city property must cover up, go to a private spot or leave if someone complains. Refuse and they could face criminal trespassing charges.

The rule takes effect this week after the City Council made no objections to an "administrative directive" released Monday by Community Services Director Mark Eynatten.

Resident Christia Bridges-Jones was among several women who earlier urged the city to not regulate public breast-feeding after a nursing mother was asked to leave a city pool picnic area earlier this summer. advertisement




"I'm flabbergasted that Chandler would take a position like this," she said. "It's a basic human right that my child be fed in a place where other children are fed."

Bridges-Jones said she is taking her cause to state lawmakers and is hopeful they will consider legislation allowing public breast-feeding.

Eynatten said Arizona law doesn't exclude nursing mothers who expose their breasts from "indecent exposure" prohibitions, and his directive conforms to that law.

It's also designed to give city employees a uniform policy on how to handle complaints without confrontation, Eynatten said.

He said city employees must now refer complaints about public breast-feeding to their supervisors. A supervisor will determine if the complaint is valid and if the woman's exposure is "unreasonably disturbing other members of the public."

The supervisor should "respectfully" ask the mother to cover herself or offer her a private place to feed the child. If she refuses, she will be asked to leave the building or grounds. Failure to leave could result in criminal trespassing charges, Eynatten said.

Amy Milliron, a Tempe mother who had urged Chandler officials to be more flexible, said she plans to attend Thursday's City Council meeting and hopes to convince members that the directive is bad policy. Bridges-Jones said she's not likely to attend.

"It's a done deal in Chandler; now it needs to go beyond the city," she said.
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What total fucking assholes


Err hello, this is a natural act vital for the sustience of millions of people over countless generations. Why the hell should women be made to feel nursing (ie nuturing and nourishing their child) is something to be ashamed of.

No one seems to care about the feelings of mothers, or their infants. Oh no, screw them. Let's make dumb rules on the off chance some loser gets upset about something that's none of their damn business (if you don't like it, quit watching. That's the standard British policy)

If I was a 'supervisor' and anyone complained I'll tell them to quit staring and get a life. Pathetic uptight prudes ... bet they were all bottle fed.

Ha that's better. I'm fine now

 

I'll go to the LLL site tomorrow morning and see what is going on. This is the problem when "nursing legsilation" includes words like "appropriate" or "discreet." Breast feeding legislation should make nursing easier NOT harder.

NOWHERE in the US is it actually against the law to nurse in public, laws or not. I think this silly interpretation of the AZ law will be challenged soon. This is a City Council Passed Law and does NOT carry much weight at all. AZ has NO breastfeeding legislation on the books, but that does not mean it is illegal to bf anywhere in the state. What this backwards town needs is about 5,000 mamas and babies for a huge nurse in.

 

..

 

i don't see how this would even be constitutional.

 

sometimes i wonder if people even care about the constitution anymore
all people seem to care about is if they can profit from it in some way
and in this case, unfortunately, they can
formula is expensive and that's exactly what they would rather see
women going back to work and sticking their kids in daycare so they aren't nursed but bottlefed with formula
a scary reality in a lot of women's lives.
i even had to do it with my last child
i am lucky that this time around with my newborn right now, i can have a second chance to do it right

 

wow, What a mind-blower!
I just moved from AZ....didn't hear about this story before.

 

Translation: we hate kids.

 

For the life of me, I can't understand why so many people are so hung up with a mother breastfeeding in public. I just don't get it. If someone brought a nursing dog and pups to a park, no one would have a second thought. They might even stop and say "Oh, how cute"!

 

FYI:

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3714671&nav=HMO6dJUB

I Had no doubt that the bill would never be passed. Not in this day and age where so many women are A) breastfeeding, and B) willing to stand up and fight.

Good for the Women of Chandler

 

As we used to say back in the day, "RIGHT ON!" Just a small example of what "Get Up, Stand Up" will do.

 

that is such bull breast feeding is the most natural way to feed your child. by requesting the breastfeeding mother to go else where and if she is refuses they are basically hurting themselves in the long run cuz they will lose her going to that place again and if she has friends she will also tell them not to go there. i just hate how close minded people are.