“Indecent” Exposure
I’m one of those mothers who’s not shy about breastfeeding in public – sushi restaurants, brewery tours, the New York State Fair — if my daughter’s hungry, it’s time to eat. Where ever we are. Sometimes I cover up, sometimes I don’t, but I always try to be as discreet as possible and no one has ever complained (as far as I know).
It seems I’m in good company, as most Americans aren’t bothered when they happen across a nursing mother. In response to a recent Top Question Tuesday question submitted by one of our readers, we asked how Americans feel about breastfeeding in public, and nearly 80% believe women should be allowed to breastfeed in public or private places they would otherwise be allowed to be. Overall, more than half (51%) believe a woman should have to cover up while nursing in public, but more than one in four (28%) are fine with public nursing without a cover. Younger Americans are particularly tolerant of nursing in public while uncovered – 50% of those age 18 to 24 feel this way, compared to just 11% of those 70 or older. This anything-goes attitude about breastfeeding is also more common among men (38%) than women (18%), which may or may not come as a surprise, depending on your perspective.
Some nursing mothers have caught some very public flak as of late for feeding their babies out in the open. One mother at an Indiana Olive Garden was asked to nurse her baby in the restaurant’s rest room after complaints were made to the manager. Another was told to cover up at a Chic-Fil-A in Orlando, prompting a group of nursing mothers to hold a “nurse-in” at the fast food restaurant. Facebook has a policy of removing some images that show women breastfeeding, which lead the formation of a group called “Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding Is Not Obscene!”
To the 16% of Americans who believe women should be allowed to nurse in public places, as long as that place is a restroom (given that I have found very few places that have specially designated nursing areas for privacy) – would YOU like to eat your food in a public restroom? I think not. Even before I became a mother, I would much rather be in the general proximity of a woman quietly nursing than listen to hungry baby shrieking to be fed. As for the 2% of Americans who believe women shouldn’t be allowed to nurse in public at all, I have a gentle suggestion. If you see a woman nursing her baby in a restaurant, perhaps you should keep your eyes on your own food, instead of what her baby’s eating.
I know many who refer to women who insist on nursing in public by such unflattering names like “breastfeeding Nazis”, but I often wonder if they pass equal judgment on the other cases of much more blatant breast exposure – like the scantily clad women on the covers of magazines by the grocery store checkout and in countless advertisements on billboards and television that leave nothing to the imagination.
By Stephanie DeVries, who works in Zogby’s Corporate Communications and Research department, and is a proud nursing mother who is ready to take part in a nurse- in at a moment’s notice, should one ever come to Utica.
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So, you’re for breastfeeding in public…got it. It doesn’t matter to me either way. However, I understand how seeing it might offend someone’s sense of modesty.
As for feeding in a restroom, the baby isn’t aware it’s in a rest room. I’ve eaten hundreds of meals in places I wished were as clean and warm as a restaurant restroom.
Is this really an issue?
Hmmm…
Since when did the Zogby blog turn into a place for Zogby employees to post personal diatribes and attacks on their poll takers?
My mother breastfed wherever, whenever. I’m all for breastfeeding in public as I couldn’t care either way. However, I’m not for attacking people who feel differently.
There are places to post such ramblings. Is this really the right forum?
I come here for poll updates and stats, not for personal rantings.
I would just like to add that, after having read a few of the posts below this one, I am very disappointed that this blog seems to have turned into long-winded introductions to the statistics I am interested in. I take valuable time out my day to submit these polls and I liked coming here and viewing the results which used to be written up in a mostly unbiased manner.
Now, it seems that has changed. I have to skim through 3 or more paragraphs of some Zogby employee’s personal anecdotes that vaguely relate to the statistics plopped in somewhere near the bottom.
Not thrilled with this at all. Can’t you guys just get back to posting about the statistics. If I wanted to read about your life, I would go find your personal blog. No offense, but I don’t care about you or your life. At best it’s boring and worst it’s been offensive. I just want the stats.
There are times when you can either be a professional or a best friend. Alas, I don’t think we can be both at the same time. It just contributes to the perception of experimenter bias. Sadly, I have to agree with Carrie.
Breastfeeding is cool. Kevin, what kind of restroom’s have you been in? I don’t think they build them with the old fashioned “fainting couch” anymore. Who would want to be juggling a baby while sitting on a commode which has no seat to put down? Okay, maybe you would have her stand up by the hand blower the whole time? She can quietly throw a napkin over it! No big deal.
Thanks for your comments, we hear you and appreciate your insight. We’ll do our best to continue to post data that offers something for all of our readers.
- The Zogby blog team
@Jaime
Without trying to draw the discussion to me, as a GI, I’ve eaten some pretty bad “meals” in down-right nasty places. The air conditioned or heated restroom at McD’s would have been like the best table at a four-star restaurant.
As I said, I don’t care either way. It doesn’t bother me when a mother chooses to breastfeed in public but I can understand how it might bother someone.
@Kevin
I do get it. But I don’t think her question was about squatting in the sun in the Balkins or on the Hindu Kush. It was about American social norms.
I think there is less fuss than 20 years ago, however I seem to remember mothers in those days carried some cloth – maybe a diaper to shield the public from too much information.
Stephanie, maybe the real issue is how many nursing mothers today drape something over themselves? Has this changed over the years and do nursing mothers now feel they should be able to reveal more without this cover up? This you did not include in your discussion.
“Sometimes I cover up, sometimes I don’t, but I always try to be as discreet as possible and no one has ever complained (as far as I know).”
Sorry, but you’re well aware of the reaction of many many Americans and yet you CHOOSE sometimes not to cover up? How are you being “discreet” if not covering up? Very small “sacrifice” when you know that some people are uncomfortable. A social norm sort of akin to saying “excuse me” or “bless you.” And yes I was a breastfeeding mom.
So from a design perspective, maybe we have not adequately defined our variables. How can you say you are measuring people’s tolerance of nursing mothers when you have not adequately described what that means?? How many people are offended when the mother is draped? How many are offended when the mother is not draped? How about a poll of nursing mothers? How many drape? How many don’t? If we find that most incidents occur in situations where mothers are not draped, that is very different from a general intolerance of breast feeding.
Frankly, if you are going out in public with a baby, you wouldn’t think of leaving home without diapers, so throw a small “cover” in the bag, too.