No, fortunately this stupid measure has not occurred to any Spanish legislator, but it has happened in a city in the state of Georgia (United States) called Forest park, in which the City Council has decided a measure that considers that it has prohibited breastfeeding in public They consider that breastfeeding a child older than two years in the sight of others is a crime comparable to an indecent act or sexual provocation.
Two weeks ago, this measure came out, which, of course, has triggered protests by local mothers and breastfeeding support groups because it does not seem acceptable for anyone to tell women how, where or even when they can breastfeed their sons. The penalties for breastfeeding children over two are fines and there may even be prison punishment, since under the new ordinance, breastfeeding a child older than two in a public place would be an act of indecency.
This prohibition of breastfeeding in public reveals, in my opinion, ill mentalities that identify the woman's breast not with her nutritional function, but with sex, and come to see in a mother breastfeeding an indecent provocation.
The mothers who have breastfed children over two years of age usually find ourselves with scandalized looks and even unpleasant comments, but so far I had not encountered any legislation in a western country that supposed to show a bit of a breast to give To eat our son was comparable to making obscene gestures or public scandal. Also, here in Spain, we have met with news of mothers who have tried to prevent breastfeeding in police stations, museums or restaurants, but always, those who had banned breastfeeding, have had to rectify because the law protects this right .
I have been horrified by the narrow sight, the dirtiness of the mind and the ignorance of those who have dared to equate breastfeeding with impudent behavior or a crime of sexual provocation, as if they were exhibitionists who show their genitals in a park opening the raincoat in front of the children and making obscene gestures.
The truth is that I consider that the human body has nothing sinful or obscene. I do not even believe that nudism should be prohibited. I am bothered more by public images in which the body of women, and sometimes even girls, is shown as a sexual object.
But of course, I will never understand that a breastfeeding mother is offensive, or has the child two months, two years or five, much less that someone dares to prohibit breastfeeding in public. Breastfeeding is a natural and harmless act in my opinion. Do you think it is right to restrict mothers who breastfeed their children over two years in public?
