Breastfeeding mums stage a sit-in protest in Australian food court
It is unbelievable this is still happening in 2016.
A group of mums in Australia held a protest on Friday in an Australian shopping mall to stand up for their right to breastfeed in public.
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Dozens of women joined the public breastfeeding at a mall in the Australian town of Bendigo, Victoria on Friday. It was a reaction to an incident in which a breastfeeding woman, Luci White, was asked to leave the food court of the same mall on Tuesday.
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White was sitting in the food court eating her lunch, when she began breastfeeding her son. Multiple people complained to her, before a shopping mall employee asked her to use the mother's room.
A friend of hers, Samantha Purden, posted on Facebook she was "disgusted and appalled" at White's treatment. It was this message that set off the outrage of mothers across Australia, culminating in the sit-in "Boobs for Babies" protest.
Organiser of the protest, Michelle Van Zyl, started the Facebook event after hearing the plight of White in Purden's message. Hundreds of women RSVPed.
"[It’s] to show support for this one young mum, and every other mum who has ever been told what she's doing is wrong," Van Zyl told the Bendigo Advertiser.
"It's perfectly legal, we're not breaking any laws for feeding our babies and we shouldn't be made to feel like we are."
The law in Australia is clear regarding a mother's right to breastfeed her child in public.
"In Australian Federal Law breastfeeding is a right, not a privilege," according to the Australian Breastfeeding Association.
"Under the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 it is illegal in Australia to discriminate against a person either directly or indirectly on the grounds of breastfeeding."
Bendigo Marketplace, where the incident and protest took place, released a statement after the outpouring of support for White.
It said the management will take necessary steps to ensure all staff are aware that Bendigo Marketplace supports a mother's right to breastfeed where she chooses.
"We regret that a member of our community experienced any discomfort or embarrassment while shopping with us and we apologise to the mother concerned," it said.
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Topics Family & Parenting
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