to wish that one day, being prejudice against a breastfeeding mum will be the same as being prejudice against race, religion, sexuality, disability etc.?

[eggontoast]

Luckily, we have adopted laws in this country to prevent many kinds of discrimination. Unfortunately, it does not always work, but it does offer some degree of protection for those concerned. (OK, it may not stop people feeling racist for example, but they will put on a front, better than nothing I suppose. And, it does not stop everyone, I know, but at least they are taken to account for their actions (when caught).

I just feel that I, and others like me, are completely fair game to those who oppose bf so strongly that they will kick you out of their cafe, or off the bus they are driving.

To me, it is similar, not the same of course, as being able to ask someone to leave their bus or cafe because they are black or a lesbian.

I think there maybe something in the pipeline, but it just seems so far away.

riven shall we let them have it?
they can have all tbe crap we have to put up with and the blue badge

Is so glad people with sense turned up

BF, is a choice, that is a FACT OF LIFE! no one is saying you have to choose any feeding method, the reality is you dont have to B/F, people who have a particular race, disability, sexuality, do NOT have a choice!

In no way, can your relate or put the above in the same category, its inappropriate and insulting to those who suffer real prejudge and discrimination FOR LIFE! through NO CHOICE!

When somone starts daubing 'TITS AWAY' messages on my door i'll agree with you.

I've breastfed everywhere I have been for 14 months and have never had even so much as a dodgy look.

I think some women are too sensitive. I don't believe there is much predjudice against brestfeeding mums, well, no more than there is against other every day members of sociaty by a moronic minority.

If there is time being spent to change laws i'd rather they we're the ones protecting people who can't stick up for themselves.

I thought it had been discovered that she was telling a porkie ?

Doh!the bird on the bus made it up.BF martyr she was not.pants on fire liar more like

you seriously don't understand the concepts of discrimination if you compare racial discrimination to bf grievances. a black person will always look black and cannot conceal their colour and as a result that individual may face discrimination. bf is a feeding mode not comparable to identifiable skin colour discrimination

As a black woman who breastfed all 5 children... I think I can say that YABU. I do not, I admit, speak for all black, breastfeeding mothers.

They just don't compare.

Oh sorry

But yes there was apparently a woman that got sprayed with air freshener.

Can you imagine... Lets get the court of human right on standby immediatly.

All forms of discrimination do not have to be equally bad to be discrimination. There are many different sorts of discrimination covered by the Equality Act, and sometimes the rights for one group come into conflict with the rights of another group. Through a number of court cases, those issues have been resolved, so generally where there is a conflict (I've been told by people specialising in this area, it is not my area of research) disability is given priority, followed by race, sex, sexual orientation and religion.

So there really isn't a need to have a competition of people jumping up and down saying 'I'm the victim so you can't be.'

Discrimination against breast feeding is covered by sex discrimination law. Sex discrimination is generally below disability issues where there is a conflict, but above religion.

In terms of people choosing to breastfeed and that being a choice, many aspects of ethnicity are choices, but ethnicity is covered by the same international laws as race. Many of the aspects of being openly gay are choices.

If you are gay, but you choose to kiss someone of the same sex in public. Some gay people do not make that choice - it doesn't mean your choice is not part of your sexual orientation.

If you are a woman, but you choose to breast feed in public. Some women may not make that choice - it doesn't mean your choice is not part of being a woman.

Obviously breast feeding can only be part of being female - it doesn't need all women to choose to do it for it to be connected to sex discrimination. Not all women will choose to get pregnant, but the treatment of pregnant women is also connected to sex discrimination.

Did I not mention those factors in my post thesecond? My bad!

"seriously-why do you think the way you choose to feed your baby is so amazing that you should be made 'special'?"

Dear me, thesecondcoiong, do you want some salt to go on that massive chip you've got on your shoulder ?

There is discrimination. And there is rudeness. They aren't the same. When a bfing mother feels in fear of her life for the simple fact of her birth or her beliefs then she can demand a change in the law. Until then I will be as outraged as she wishes on her behalf but I will not beleive it's discrimination.

BTW I am a formerly died in the wool extended bf-er - 8.5 years at the tit-face!

talk about a misplaced sense of persecution.some people really have it hard.yes bf gets gripes and tuts but time limited feeding is non comparable to a life time of discrimination other marginalised groups face

As long as it is also not Ok to be nasty to bottle feeding mums. I'm not talking about chuicking them oiff buses but you guys (you know who you are) could take a break from huffing and tutting, refusing to ask round for coffee and generally cold-shouldering the bottle feeding mums. It's total smuggery and deeply unpleasant. I see it all the time and was even a little guilty of it myself when I was feeling really pleased with myself for breastfeeding. Now, with a little more perspective, I think it's downright horrid.

indeedy,ff get tuts and the face too

Worryingly I?m beginning to feel Breast feeding has become political; it is becoming identified with leftwing politics.

I also think it?s not prejudice, but a deep seated fear of uncontrolled arousal. In the mind of someone who finds it unacceptable it is the suspicions of the arousing effects on the woman feeding and all the issues around the uncontrolled female sexuality.

It is a sense of anger at being effected like this, by witnessing breast feeding that makes it so objectionable for some people.

This is exhibited usaely by muttering, elbowing, joke making and leering among the fearful to affect the woman?s behaviour by curtailing the unintentional erotic effects by humourising it.

Unlike most species, our secondary sexual display characteristics are found in the female in the form of oversized mammary glands.

Very like peacocks tales.

They will therefore have strong triggers subconsciously. Simplistically put
a challenge signal to other females and a sexual, breeding potential for males.

Fuck were did that come from? Sorry

what a lot of psychobabble dribble.the op is misplaced and the bf mum she claims as an example of discrimination (chucked off the bus) made it up

OP, you're a loon, and you obviously have far too much time on your hands.
This is boring and tedious, not to mention immensley insulting to people who are real victims of discrimination, whether because of their gender, race or colour!

Perhaps when we stop putting half naked teenagers in daily newspapers then this country is more likely to appreciate breasts for their primary function.

Heard one theory that it all went tits-up (scuse pun) in the 60s when women's bodies became constantly sexualised; apparently before that no-one batted an eyelid at a mother feeding her child the way nature intended.

Im sorry, but I dont get this breastfeeding are sexual things at all, as "mostly" it is woman who say negative things to each other and not men! of course men are going to see boobs as sexual as for them they are,same as with our butts but they are for different natural body parts also!

I think the whole issue is because were are such a prudeish country and we cant even discuss sex with our children, and is "one" of the reasons we have a country full of teenage pregnant girls!

The woman on the bus is a nut job, she lied and should be outed as a big fat liar liar pant on fire, she has done alot of negativity is "promoting" the cause of BF in public! she has properly but it back!

I have not encountered hostility to BF myself but if I did, I would have no qualms at all in telling someone 'I am feeding my baby and if you do not like it you can go and get fucked '. Perhaps we could adopt my wording as a standard MN response ?