After all that has been presented in favor of a mother to publicly breastfeed her baby, I realize that this is an exercise in futility. Pete obviously feels very uncomfortable being in the presence of a nursing baby. One must be careful to base their opinion on a feeling. Feelings can be grossly inaccurate and completely illogical. They are also not very arguable. Fortunately, for society, western in particular, IMO, when it comes to nursing, people like Pete are a dying breed. In desperation, they cling tenaciously to their beliefs in plaintive mantras of assorted ?It?s bad to let people see you do it?
Or to paraphrase:
?Don?t do it because it makes others feel uncomfortable?
Seems to me, throughout history, behavior that was once considered strange and ?uncomfortable (to be exposed to)? by the masses, is now considered ordinary and normal.
During Victorian times, women were considered indecent, or worse, if they wore make-up, or if they allowed their ankles to show below the long skirts and dresses. Apparently, the exposure to the female ankle would drive male to sexual indecency beyond their control. Laughable now, isn?t it? Yet, we don?t laugh when we see images of burka clad women in Afghanistan. We find it oppressive and cruel.
I?ve been in earshot of several discussions regarding whether, or not, Gay and Lesbians should be ?allowed? to show public affection. The resounding argument against such behavior is that it makes others around them feel ?uncomfortable?. Otherwise known as the?shoving their lifestyle down my throat? excuse. However, going back twenty, or thirty years, when homosexuality was considered a ?sin? by the majority of society, and ?inflicted? individuals did not dare disclose that they were Gay to anyone for fear of losing family, friends, and jobs, I think it reasonable that progress in this area of our culture is a good thing.
Here?s another: Interracial dating and marriage. I will assume the reader knows what I am talking about.
And so it will be the same with breastfeeding in public.
I will not argue with someone regarding their ?feelings? on this subject. If Pete, or anyone else, feels ?uncomfortable? with a woman suckling their baby in public, yes, it WOULD be best if YOU left the room, or area. YOU take the walk. And, also, be forewarned, if you decide to make the foolish choice of actually approaching a nursing Mama, it may be someone like me you confront and if you think you were uncomfortable BEFORE, it won?t be anything compared with how uncomfortable you will feel once I?m done with you.
