Picture of breastfeeding on magazine cover causes outrage in US

[melpomene]

CNN article

Babytalk, a US parenting magazine, put a picture of a breastfeeding baby on the cover, and received hundreds of letters complaining.

"'Gross, I am sick of seeing a baby attached to a boob,' wrote Lauren, a mother of a 4-month-old."

Another mother said that she shredded the magazine to avoid the risk of her 13 year old son seeing it.

babytalk bf article

the bf rates in the US seems, overall, slightly worse than over here.

as with the UK, ethnic minorities probably initiate bf and for longer as there is the knowledge within the community. I think that the US has more ethnic minorities and numbers than the UK?

kiskidee - you are right that bf rates are slightly lower in the US. But ethnic minorities there are much less likely to initiate bf than they are here.

Leah - where have you heard that extended bf rates are better in the US? I haven't heard this or seen any figures, and I would be surprised if it was true.

I don't know how you would compare it; in the UK, our official bf stats only go up to nine months.

i find that surprising tiktok. is that ethnic minorities as a whole? i was singling out ethnic minorities who were first and second generation immigrants as I felt pretty sure that African-Americans who were NOT 1st and 2nd generation immigrants are much less likely to bf. i say this b/c i would be classed as Latino/Hispanic in the US and know that among latinos bf is much more a part of the culture than among whites in the US.

If it really bothered them that much why did they bother buying the magazine?!

I don't see how it's worse than having a scantily/tartily clad almost- skeleton like woman on the front cover of a magazine but plenty of people buy those.

i see where i am confused tiktok. i wrote and edited my first post and deleted the bit i meant to mention about 1st/2nd gen immigrants.

Whilst I don't approve of the attitudes expressed towards a photo of a bfing baby, I must remind people that 'lads mags' in the US must be on the top shelf, behind a counter, in a wrapper, w/a non-opague piece of paper covering the business part of the photos in the US.

They are considered soft porn and not for sale to people under 18.

Trust me, they ask for ID quite frequently there - as you must be 18 to purchase cigarettes as well, and shopkeepers are policed.

I am a 2nd generation Hispanic/Latina American.

My Mexican paternal grandmother bf'd her children to the age of 2, whereupon they were most unceremoniously weaned, w/the help of smacking where necessary, I might add.

My maternal grandmother, however, was French.

She did not breastfeed.

Sounds like the Taliban are alive and well and living in the good ol US of A.

interesting to read, however, that most US states now have laws allowing mothers to bf wherever they choose. one up on the english...

and at morocco's post

I dont think it is a reflection of the country - you get people with those attitudes everywhere. Blaming it on the country it the easy way out I think. Yes I say that as an American living in England for many years - I find faults with both countries, I dont think one is better than the other. I just get frustrated when on EITHER side normal negative things are blamed on cultural identities. It just isnt as black and white as that. Trust me, I stand up for English people as well when I hear silly statements that generalise against all of society. Trust me, you dont want the international community to judge you against some of your (OUR, even) press and reactions.

Not had chance to read all the posts here, but i think its completely disgusting that any person can find breastfeeding gross - especially another woman! wtf is wrong with people? i think all us bfeeding mumsnetters should meet in a very public place and all breastfeed together in one great big gang! I'd like to see anyone oppose ALL of us at once!

I am going to email Babytalk with support for the lovely cover - it's so sweet. Gawd people get their knickers in a twist over the most ludicrous things, eh? There isn't even a nipple on view, it's just skin.
And I love the pic of Xena, Warrior Breastfeeder.

If you read the news story, three quarters of the respondents had replied positively to the magazine cover.

The magazine is making a huge deal out of the minority who did not.

My impression is that the sight of breastfeeding is acceptable to most people in the US and the UK. There is a minority in both cases who get hung up about it.

I don't think it's worth making a fuss about, in fact - clearly, the sensible view is that there is nothing wrong with the picture at all.

Such a nice image California. Made me .

Reminds me of the huge fuss when Demi Moore appeared tastefully nude and heavily pregnant on teh front cover of some big glossy mag a few years ago.

Hear Hear Tiktok and Eeny.

Let's get some perspective.
The article is mainly about a poll which was taken NOT letters sent in.
The poll was of 4000 readers of a free magazine.
Around 1000 gave a 'negative' comment WHEN ASKED.

The further comment that 700 letters were written in to the magazine - the article does not say the ratio of POSITIVE to NEGATIVE - but let's play Devils Advocate and take the worst case scenario.

SEVEN HUNDRED LETTERS SENT IN!! Gosh Shock Horror.

All crying NO BREAST-FEEDING on BABY MAGAZINES!!

700....

Hmmm...

Population of the United States....
298,869,502

0.0002% of the population

I could put up with them.

Time to climb down off your podiums and reflect, i'd say.

This is so sad, but not a surprise, I spent a summer in the US and could not believe how narrow minded the people were, much less liberal than in Europe. I was glad to come home and be abe to talk freely and not have my views frowned upon, even by people of my own age.

Love the Lucy Lawless picture, but am very In the pictures of me breastfeeding I look like a bag lady, I aspire to be a more glamourous feeder, if I get the chance again

I suppose we could all post our anecdotes...
"I've met an American"
"I spent time in Shitheap, Idaho"
"I breast fed on the Golden Gate Bridge and everyone was lovely"

I would imagine you'd get a nice mixed bunch as you would.... HEY! Here! What about that!?

Would you credit it!

So narrow-minded that they printed the magazine in the first place....

Hmmmm...

Not read any posts but you can't see anything anyway!

Other peoples sexual hang ups IMO. They would bat an eyelid at Hugh Hefners crappola on the shelf above would they.

That should be

"they wouldn't" not they would

Hi Yellow

In the US all the adult and lads mags are up high and shielded (as a few people mentioned below) unlike here where I see children in Tesco flicking through them on the bottom shelves

but hey, it's not about one-upmanship is it