Applebee's to feel the wrath of nursing mothers

[Flagg]

I think the idea is simply that a business like Applebee's (or more accurately, whatever corporate conglomerate owns the chain) likes to keep away from any kind of controversy. So if this kind of policy leads to a controversy, the management is likely to say "try to keep this kind of thing from happening in the future by going easy on the nursing mothers". Unless, of course, fundies actually stage a counter-protest when mothers are allowed to nurse. I suppose it depends on just how likely that is. At the end of the day, management just wants publicity like this to go away; they don't particularly care how.

I'd rather have pissed off nursing mothers to deal with. Last I checked they weren't in the habit of firebombs and assassinations.

[PeZook]

Once again, Eurotrip's Theory On American Society is proven correct.

From a PR perspective, it's a difficult problem. There isn't really any good way to approach this, and Cairber's event is going to give one hell of a headache to Applebee's PR department.

It's going to be hilarious to watch them try to get out of this one with fundies on one side, and (rightfully!) pissed-off nursing moms on the other. Unless fundies go 'Meh!' on the whole thing, that is.

[Lord Revan]

'strong defence of traditional values'

I'm pretty sure there are absolutely no values more traditional than a mother breastfeeding a child. It predates humanity itself, for one thing...and there isn't a single injunction against it in the entirety of the Bible, no matter HOW you read the damn thing.

well the Bible (or at least the finnish translation) is so self counterdictive and ambigious that you could jusitify just about anything from it, trust me I've read the damn book (more then once).

[Broomstick]

When you go to a restaurant are YOU asked to hide under a blanket, as if your eating was shameful?

No. However, I'm not an infant that will have no memory of the event either. Again, how does it INTERFERE with the breast feeding?

If it makes the mother uncomfortable it can interfere with her milk flow. I'll leave those of us here who have lactated and nursed a baby to enlighten you further

[Cairber]

On the issue of blankets, mothers take offense to being asked to use one for many reasons. For some, it is just impossible to nurse while using one. Some women support their breast with one hand and hold the baby with the other..adding a blanket into the mix makes things difficult. Others have babies who refuse to nurse with their head covered. Others have babies who delatch and relatch a lot, and seeing the baby is necessary. But beyond the annoyance of a blanket there is the idea that you shouldn't have to nurse any certain way, and , acording to the law, no one can tell you to cover up, go to the bathroom, do it in your car, etc.

This page has a summary of everything that is happening including links to postcards and letters you can sign and send to the Applebee's owners. So if anyone wants to participate but cannot attend a nurse it, you can use these:

link

We have started numerous yahoo lactivist groups in attempt to have an online organization point. :

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/bwb_lactivist/

There are also numerous local ones through La Leche League. If anyone has questions on that, PM me and I can give you the information for your area.

[Cairber]

And in case anyone was wondering, here is the KY law:

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 211 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) Not withstanding any other provision of the law, a mother may breastfeed her baby or express breastmilk in
any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be. Breastfeeding a child or
expressing breastmilk as part of breastfeeding shall not be considered an act of public indecency and shall
not be considered indecent exposure, sexual conduct, lewd touching, or obscenity.

(2) A municipality may not enact an ordinance that prohibits or restricts a mother breastfeeding a child or
expressing breastmilk in a public or private location where the mother and child are otherwise authorized
to be. In a municipal ordinance, indecent exposure, sexual conduct, lewd touching, obscenity, and similar
terms do not include the act of a mother breastfeeding a child in a public or private location where the
mother and child are otherwise authorized to be.

(3) No person shall interfere with a mother breastfeeding her child in any location, public or private, where the

mother is otherwise authorized to be.

[Cairber]

Chances are you'll just piss off a bunch of waiters, get your drinks messed with, and not change a thing.

This year we have managed to get Delta to change their flight attendent training courses to reflect breastfeeding law as a result of a national nurse in at their ticket counters after they removed a mother from a plane for refusing to nurse in the plane's bathroom or put blankets over her child's head.

We were able to get Ronald McDonald house to change its policy on nursing mothers to reflect law after they threatened to remove a mother for not ceasing to nurse her child.

The same has happened at Toys R Us, Borders, and numerous local stores.

[Lonestar]

I wonder why some locations are so opposed to public breastfeeding, and others aren't. I mean, I would kind expect VA to be one of the uptight states that is against it, but the State department of Health has Bus and Train ads encouraging mothers to breast feed, so presumably it wouldn't be an issue in a public location.

[Darth Lucifer]

I should attend this function as my drag alter-ego, Maria, complete with a Cabbage Patch Doll.

[CmdrWilkens]

As a quick note another article on the matter stated that the Manager told the lady she had to cover up because another customer felt it was indecent. With that against the statute explicitly stating that breastfeeding may not be considered indecent Applebee's really has no leg to stand on and I wonder how long they will hold out before caving.

[tim31]

So, have Applebee's responded to the nurse-in planning yet? I'm envisaging ranks of 'squeaky voiced teens' standing shoulder to shoulder as the women and children approach the doors, blankets in hand, warbling "this ends now!"

Seriously, I can't wait to see this go down. We generally don't have to put up with this sort of shit in this country, but Emily's been given the odd frosty stare for public feeding.

[Broomstick]

When you go to a restaurant are YOU asked to hide under a blanket, as if your eating was shameful?

No. However, I'm not an infant that will have no memory of the event either. Again, how does it INTERFERE with the breast feeding?

This is still bothering me.

Saying that hiding a child under a blanket is OK because the kid won't remember it strikes me as not much different than saying it's OK for a doctor to fondle the genitalia of an unconcious patient because the patient won't remember it later.

Feeding a baby is nothing shameful and it should not have to be hidden. If you find it offensive then the problem is with YOU.

[Enigma]

So, have Applebee's responded to the nurse-in planning yet? I'm envisaging ranks of 'squeaky voiced teens' standing shoulder to shoulder as the women and children approach the doors, blankets in hand, warbling "this ends now!"

Seriously, I can't wait to see this go down. We generally don't have to put up with this sort of shit in this country, but Emily's been given the odd frosty stare for public feeding.

But they will fail since those squeaky voiced teens most likely never seen an exposed breast and once they see them they probably want milk too.

I wonder what goes through the minds of those genuises over at Applebees over this stupidity.

[PeZook]

I wonder what goes through the minds of those genuises over at Applebees over this stupidity.

They seem to be thinking that taking any action now is better than taking proper action later. Which, well...earned them this nurse-in

[Death from the Sea]

I really don't see the harm in asking the mother to place a blanket over her while breast feeding. I love breasts and I love to look at them but I also know that there are some breasts I just do not want to see. <-- perhaps that is a bit selfish I know, but I shouldn't have to see that shit.

If it makes everyone else in the room more comfortable, then why not?

I have yet to see anyone really show how using a blanket to cover up during breast feeding causes any harm to the mother or child.

I mean if they offered her a blanket, and asked her to use it, why refuse? I just don't see what the big uproar is about.

[Havok]

When you go to a restaurant are YOU asked to hide under a blanket, as if your eating was shameful?

No. However, I'm not an infant that will have no memory of the event either. Again, how does it INTERFERE with the breast feeding?

This is still bothering me.

Saying that hiding a child under a blanket is OK because the kid won't remember it strikes me as not much different than saying it's OK for a doctor to fondle the genitalia of an unconcious patient because the patient won't remember it later.

Feeding a baby is nothing shameful and it should not have to be hidden. If you find it offensive then the problem is with YOU.

I didn't say it was OK or offensive. You came to those conclusions yourself. I asked how it interfered with the act of breast feeding. A few people gave some answers to that.

[Death from the Sea]

oh man, I just opened the OP link and saw that nasty bitch, who wants to see THAT?

[Havok]

oh man, I just opened the OP link and saw that nasty bitch, who wants to see THAT?

Perhaps that is what the patrons were offended by and not the breast feeding itself?

[Molyneux]

I shouldn't have to see that shit.

So why don't you, oh, just maybe think about NOT LOOKING?
Putz. You have every right to look or not look at a nursing woman. The burden is not on them to show that it's harmful to the child to put a blanket over its head - the burden is on YOU to give one damn good reason that they should be required to do so. And "I find it offensive" doesn't cut it.

[Mr. T]

I'm all for mothers breast feeding wherever they need to, but I'm not so sure a restaurant or other place of business has no say at all in encouraging breast-feeders to be somewhat discreet. Mind you I don't think this applies to this incident as the article states she'd taken measures to be discreet by facing a wall. However I'd think that a restaurant would be able to take some sort of action if their's a customber refusing to be discreet about it at all should it bother other customers. It would be in a similar sense to why they can tell a man whom walks in without a shirt on that he can't eat their topless even though it's not illegal for someone to walk around with no shirt on.

[Darth Wong]

I really don't see the harm in asking the mother to place a blanket over her while breast feeding.

And when she refuses, do you see the harm in telling her to get the fuck out of your restaurant?

I mean if they offered her a blanket, and asked her to use it, why refuse?

Because she has the right to.

[Havok]

I have a question about the law, more specifically the use of the word "authorized".
Doesn't Applebee's as a private establishment, while not allowed to stop a mother from breast feeding have the right to decide who is "authorized" to be in their resturaunt?

[Darth Wong]

I have a question about the law, more specifically the use of the word "authorized".

Doesn't Applebee's as a private establishment, while not allowed to stop a mother from breast feeding have the right to decide who is "authorized" to be in their resturaunt?

Does Denny's, as a private restaurant, have the right to decide whether black people are "authorized" to be in their restaurant? Or do you not recall that scandal?

[dragon]

I have a question about the law, more specifically the use of the word "authorized".
Doesn't Applebee's as a private establishment, while not allowed to stop a mother from breast feeding have the right to decide who is "authorized" to be in their resturaunt?

Yes however it brings up the possibilities of a discrimination lawsuit.
If people are offended by the sight of a naked breast well then you better stay away from Europe as they are every where, including the old sagging ones you will find on the old folks when they go to the saunas.

[Havok]

I have a question about the law, more specifically the use of the word "authorized".

Doesn't Applebee's as a private establishment, while not allowed to stop a mother from breast feeding have the right to decide who is "authorized" to be in their resturaunt?

Does Denny's, as a private restaurant, have the right to decide whether black people are "authorized" to be in their restaurant? Or do you not recall that scandal?

No, but they certainly have the right to refuse entrance to a black person if he is a customer they don't want to serve. They just can't do it based on the fact that he is black.

Nursing mother isn't a "race", so couldn't Applebee's simply say nursing mothers are not allowed into the resturaunt while they are nursing, thereby making them "unauthorized", but that falls back to my question of who decides where, a nursing mother is "authorized" to be.

I'm not trying to start an argument or debate for Applebee's. I am just trying to think through what they are going to say in their defense of their actions.