Lactivists wage breastfeeding war on Facebook

Keep an eye on Facebook on Saturday. As we report here, there are plans for a  virtual nurse-in from Facebook members upset with the popular social networking site for deleting pictures of women breastfeeding. That prompted a petition called "Hey Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene." As word grew on the Web, the number of people signing up had tripled in one week to more than 61,000.

The Saturday nurse-in asks members to post a status line change that says "Hey Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene" and post as many pictures as they can of breastfeeding mothers, artwork and even lactating mammals.

As Facebook is quick to point out, they don't delete all photos of breastfeeding, just the few they get complaints about or show an exposed breast. But the organizer says that's unfair to women who are doing nothing wrong. And they really dislike the notion that there's anything sexual about feeding your baby.

It shows how the online world is quickly becoming akin to the town square, where breastfeeding in public is legally protected. But as an expert in the field notes, Facebook is not the same as a town square, more of a walled garden members are invited into. The difference here is that the members can use Facebook's very own tools to draw attention.

-- Sharon Kennedy Wynne

Comments

[Abi]

"When a woman is a nursing mother, she is in the purest stage of her life."

And P.S., my friend, you're not better than everyone else because you got knocked up. Get over yourself. I promise the women who aren't mothers are just as important and worthy to walk and breathe air as you are.

[Abi]

I think it's absolutely disgusting. I am not religious, so this has nothing to do with morals. This has to do with the rights of myself and the rest of the public mall population wanting to do their shopping without having to look at your ugly, disco-ball nipple flapping in the wind.

It's your right to have a baby, and it's your right to breastfeed it. But for God's sake, go to the freaking bathroom or in your car. No one wants to see that crap. If you don't want to do it in the public bathroom, then go home.

Do I pull my pants down and take a dump in the middle of the lobby at Bob Evans? No, I don't, and I promise that's just as natural as you popping your breast out to feed your child.

The bottom line is, no one wants to see it. Period. If you want your kid to drink your breast milk, buy a breast pump and put it in a bottle when you go out with it. Ugh.

[mooper]

nothing is more sickening than allowing these perverted babies to show their disgusting habit to the whole world. i mean imagine if they allowed pics of what goes on in elton john’s bedroom!

[Heidi]

Women who breastfeed should not be relegated to their cars, the filthy public restroom OR the confines of their homes until their "children don't scream anymore."

Don't like it, don't look. What SHOULD be banned in public are parents who count to three and then never follow through. Or people who think it's ok to drop the f-bomb in a family restaurant.
There are lots of things that I see in public that I'm not too jazzed about, but I can't stop you from doing it. I can only shake my head and think to myself, "At least I'll do a better job than his mother did."

[Joel]

It is surprising to read some of these responses. Comparing breast feeding to defecating? Calling a breast disgusting? Incredible.

These people have shown themselves to be just as childish and silly as Facebook.

[Tamara]

What I find sad are the women (both breast feeding and bottles) who are walking around holding the baby like a sack of potatoes with one arm and shopping or talking on a cell with another. What if you drop the child? Sit down and pay attention. That shows a lack of maturity. I swear that people should be licensed and prove they can be a parent before they are allowed to do so.

[Enough!]

There is nothing less "liberal" than a liberal when she screeches accusations and points her fingers at anyone who dares disagree with her

You women who breastfeed in public do so not to benefit your offspring but to throw two fingers to society and provoke conflict with anyone who holds views different to your own.

[Sarah]

Where is the petition to sign?

[New Mom]

Mary breastfed Jesus and I've seen the paintings.

I breastfeed in public with a cover, but don't mind if people don't use covers. If you don't want to see it don't look.

[Gladys]

No true Christian would expose herself in this disgusting manner. If you cannot afford to buy bottles for your infant, you should abstain from reproduction. Do you really think that Mary would have flaunted herself while feeding the baby Jesus?

Keep them covered.

[Konstantin]

Lactivists. lol.

[Britt]

There is no reason for women to breastfeed in public. None. I mean if you HAVE to be at a restaurant, with your infant, then POLITELY walk outside to your car to breastfeed... Seriously, as a WOMAN, there is NO reason for others to need to see you in the "beautiful" act of feeding your baby. How about unless you're at home, pump and then bottle feed!! NO ONE, except maybe disgusting men like Don, whether you're hot or not, wants to see your breast, nipple, side of your breast, or any other exposed part of your boob! They make bathrooms for a reason... Go do it in there! Or just stay at home until your children dont scream anymore.

Sick pervert or not, what's the point of posting pics you breastfeeding? Why is it so important to post those on the net? People who do all this "natural" stuff seem to be naturally self-righteous.

[Calcatian]

So a mother has to be ashamed because she is feeding her baby? Its not those pics that were dirty, the filth was in the viewer's (FB mods) mind. When a woman is a nursing mother, she is in the purest stage of her life. And anyone who finds it objectionable definitely needs to see a psychiatrist because that person is undoubtedly a sick pervert.

I breastfed my daughter for a year and managed in all that time not to publish a photo of myself doing so.

Imagine that.

i think if you are hot then you can breastfeed but if your fat and ugly then keep it in the house!

[Sharon]

Dyana,
I'm not telling anyone to do anything, I'm just reporting what's going on. The protest group, if you are interested, can be found here:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=39521488436&ref=mf

[BeeBee31]

Funny how anyone can use your sign on name to post a comment. I didn't put anything on here about weighing 3+bills, I imagine Don has used this as a way to get back at me for attacking his hate of women and his hiding behind the bible to do it. Move to wear women are covered from head to toe, and then you won't even have to see their ankles either... Douche Bag

[BeeBee31]

Funny how anyone can use your sign on name to post a comment. I didn't put anything on here about weighing 3+bills, I imagine Don has used this as a way to get back at me for attacking his hate of women and his hiding behind the bible to do it. Move to wear women are covered from head to toe, and then you won't even have to see their ankles either... Douche Bag

[Save our Eyes]

Obeast women breastfeeding in plain view for folks to see is DISGUSTING!
Nothing beautiful at all about watching a proker feed her baby in public.
Go to Lowry Park Zoo if you want to see a swine feeding in public!

[BeeBee31]

and NO Don, before you speculate, I am VERY comfortable in my own skin!
So what if I tip the scales at 3 bills+ and I haven't seen my feet in about 20 yrs ... it's just a little pooch belly and it's beautiful ... it's natural!
That's what naturally happens when you drink milk shakes & eat cream pies all day long.

[Dyana Valentine]

Sharon: is this public action taking place member site by member site, or is there a fan/group page where folks can support nursing moms? I'd like to tweet and FB message a heads up, but not sure where to send folks. Or, are you asking folks to just post to their own photo pages? Would be great if it could be organized as a cohesive movement.

[BeeBee31]

WHAT??!!!! Don... Is life so sweet that you can spew vile vitriol about a woman's weight?
How can you sit there and talk about reading the bible and living a christian life, and then say something so disgusting about obese women breastfeeding... did you realize that breastfeeding helps not only the child, but the woman as well. If your so against a woman carrying extra weight, especially after giving birth, then you should encourage breastfeeding as it helps women to lose the baby weight!!!

But that is besides the point, I think you must be a fat nasty man yourself to say something so vile then claim to be a Christian. Must be nice living in your oblivious world. Life is sweet... your not.

[Don]

Breast feeding is a private thing and should be kept as such. Sorry I don't want to see some obease woman feeding her kid from what looks like her stomach. Problem with people these day's is they just do whatever the hell they want. I'm sure to get blasted for saying this, but if you read the bible and make an honest effort in understanding what a christian life is all about, life gets so much sweeter!

[laurel]

Women who choose to breastfeed ARE sacred. It is a beautiful symbol of a woman giving wholly to her child. Photos of women breastfeeding are just as beautiful as a sunset photo, or a photo of the mountains. We enjoy viewing the world in it's natural state, that's why we sigh when we see photos of an animal nursing it's young. No different from a mother and her child. Beautiful.

[Uncle Freddy]

I find it pretty sacred to take a dump in the morning ... anyone mind if I post pics of myself in the act?

[Kay]

Ladies, sure it's natural but so is taking a ____ and I don't do that in public view. You can be discreet, unless you just like the attention or something. It's wrong to expose yourself in public no matter what "natural" activity you are involved in.

i dont mind if a women wants to pull out her nipple to breastfeed. its pretty hot!

[lala]

Peditricians say: breastfeed for a YEAR. Society says: yeah, but don't do so in PUBLIC. (Incidentally it is legal to do so anywhere under Florida law) Attitudes do need to change, however, to promote the health of children.

[Maria]

I'll be posting pictures for sure. And IMO, breastfeeding is kinda sacred. :)

Oh, spare me. I swear in this day in age, we whine when things don't go our way. . . .just because we can. Facebook has a right to their policies, and really, what's the point of posting a pic of yourself breastfeeding anyway? Is it even needed? Get over yourselves. I'm so tired of people treating women who choose to breastfeed as if they are sacred and that everything has to work in their favor. These attention wh--ing activists are all the same.

It's ok to breastfeed but if you look you are a pervert.

[Paul Rapoport]

What many don't get is that Facebook claims women's nipples are "obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit." It also claims that photos of women breastfeeding where nipples are exposed harm children.

Lastly, Facebook refuses to use the word "nipple" but euphemizes it to "entire breast." The Facebook administration is immature, wrong, and ridiculous.