December 14, 2013
Breastfeeding Mom Asked to Leave Court
Breastfeeding is one of the biggest challenges faced by new moms (and second and third time around moms). Though its touted by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the best nutrition for infants it is often looked upon by the current culture as "shameful" and something that's meant to be hidden. Currently 45 states in the US have passed laws that allows mothers to breastfeed in public spaces...but breastfeeding is often met with a fair amount of dirty looks.
One outraged Connecticut mom has stepped forward after she was told to leave a courtroom for trying to breastfeed her baby son. Danielle Gendron was in a Norwich family court to testify but was ushered out by a female court marshall when she started to feed her three month old son. Although state law allows women to breast feed in public places and the workplace and Gendron she was made to feel deeply uncomfortable by the marshall.
'I went to feed him and the marshal, just you know she immediately just waved me out,' Gendron told WTNH, the local news agency. 'That's never happened to me so I wasn't sure she was speaking to me at first so I kind of looked around and she was like you know get out. It almost make you feel ashamed which is terrible because you shouldn't feel that way,' said Gendron.
After the local News station in Connecticut spoke to a representative from the court room they were told that the marshal has been reminded of the law and that they were incorrect.The marshal has since apologized to Danielle's sister after she called to complain.
The cartoons may seem like a bit of overkill but I've experienced first hand the doubly standard that exists between acceptable advertising and breastfeeding in public and it's not far off of the norm.
One outraged Connecticut mom has stepped forward after she was told to leave a courtroom for trying to breastfeed her baby son. Danielle Gendron was in a Norwich family court to testify but was ushered out by a female court marshall when she started to feed her three month old son. Although state law allows women to breast feed in public places and the workplace and Gendron she was made to feel deeply uncomfortable by the marshall.
'I went to feed him and the marshal, just you know she immediately just waved me out,' Gendron told WTNH, the local news agency. 'That's never happened to me so I wasn't sure she was speaking to me at first so I kind of looked around and she was like you know get out. It almost make you feel ashamed which is terrible because you shouldn't feel that way,' said Gendron.
After the local News station in Connecticut spoke to a representative from the court room they were told that the marshal has been reminded of the law and that they were incorrect.The marshal has since apologized to Danielle's sister after she called to complain.
The cartoons may seem like a bit of overkill but I've experienced first hand the doubly standard that exists between acceptable advertising and breastfeeding in public and it's not far off of the norm.