I have yet another story to share with you of a mother being treated poorly for breastfeeding in public. Jeanna Harris was at Child Support Court in downtown Mobile, Alabama waiting for a proceeding. While she waited she began nursing her 3-month-old baby and before she knew it, she was approached by a court officer who pretty much told her she had to move. What?! Apparently, other people had complained about Harris nursing in public and the security guard had no problem telling her that she needed to go elsewhere. Uh, this makes me so mad, she's in friggin' Child Support Court for crying out loud! If you can't nurse a baby there, where the heck can you nurse a baby?
Read more ¿Qué más?: Men can sue their wives for not breastfeeding now!
She didn't go meekly and tried to stand her ground, but after being publicly shamed and basically told by the guard that he was indeed going to escort her elsewhere, she went. I am so sick of hearing these kinds of stories and I think that her rights were totally violated.
The guard told her that as long as he offered her another place to nurse that he could legally make her move, but I'm not so sure he knows what the heck he's talking about.
According to Alabama Statute Section 22-1-13, a mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be present.
Uhhhh … I'm pretty sure the mother was authorized to be present and if breastfeeding offended other people there so much, then they should have been the ones to move.
Harris is now thinking of suing and I hope she does because I am so over this kind of ignorance.
Image via WKRG 5
