A certain community has made some posts I want to reply to...

[conuly]

Oh, somebody in the back of the class was nursing her baby, and it offended me so much!

I agree, babies should not routinely be in college classrooms, but the only way you know she was breastfeeding and not bottlefeeding is if you turned around and looked. You don't wanna be upset, don't look. Would you rather she'd let the kid cry?

Oh, somebody in the restaurant was nursing her baby, ugh! She should go to the bathroom to do that!

Most people are very discreet about it, covering with cloth and turning in towards the booth. It's possible this person wasn't, but your solution still sucks. Not only is the bathroom extremely unhygenic, and a terrible place to eat your lunch, but do you really want this woman to clog up a stall, or in some restaurants the ENTIRE BATHROOM for however long it takes her to feed her baby? Get a grip!

OMG! Somebody... changed their baby's diaper in the bathroom! I didn't go there to be exposed to bodily functions!

And what do you think the bathroom is for? Yes, changing the diaper at the table is icky. Changing it in the bathroom is practical and normal.

NOOO! I went to see a kid's movie... afterschool... and there were... CHILDREN there!

*headdesk*

Now, in fairness, a lot of those people, whatever they say, seem to care a great deal about kids... there's a number of posts on the subject of "parents shouldn't do that sort of fucked up shit to their kids", with the fucked up shit in question ranging from not feeding them right to murder. And it's certainly a rant community more than anything else, I'm not denying that we all need a place to vent. But... *giggles* Sometimes certain comments are over the top.

Comments

[ril-chan.livejournal.com]

childfree, right?

I assume so because I've seen them on LJ Drama (http://ljdrama.org) for that last one you mentioned. ::snerks::

[conuly]

Oh yeah. I read the posts, but I wouldn't join, nor would I watch it. I go with less vitriolic groups, thank you very much.

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

LJDrama really has it in for that community, and most of the members are ignorant boobs (on both sides of this-- I just dislike LJD for their hatred of women, gays, furries, the childfree... etc. That's a rant for later). You can't take much stock in what they say. The groupthink on that site is nothing if not Orwellian.

I think this rant may have been started by me. I gave up hope on that community after posting a thread about a teacher who told her first grade class there is no Santa. The general response? "It's wrong to tell kids Santa is real! Good for the teacher!" I was... oh god I was blown clear out of the water. Definitely time to leave. And I was holding out hope for so long.

Anyway, Uly:

I can kind of understand the breastfeeding one... 'cept my solution is a blanket because the bathroom is just unsanitary. Frankly, if I can't whip my tits out neither can they! Either it's a sexual object or not. That's all I'm saying.

What, no comment on the "Oh my god, there was a child and it LOOKED at me! They're not allowed to look at me!" type posts? I really wish they'd make a childhaters community again, so all those loonies would go back to it and leave childfree in peace.

[conuly]

I can kind of understand the breastfeeding one... 'cept my solution is a blanket because the bathroom is just unsanitary. Frankly, if I can't whip my tits out neither can they! Either it's a sexual object or not. That's all I'm saying.

Most people do that, in fact. Now, I agree, if you're going all obvious about it, that's too much, but most people cover it up. And, in fact, in many places, it is technically legal for women to be topless (because men can be, of course).

What, no comment on the "Oh my god, there was a child and it LOOKED at me! They're not allowed to look at me!" type posts?

Those are obviously ridiculous. I don't have any compunction to argue with the absurd.

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

I know most people use towels. The one rant I remember was the BK woman that had her naked breast out. I have nothing wrong with breasts, but dammit-- I dislike that kind of double standard. A boob is a boob and its serves the same function no matter what ulterior motive you give it. It's a mammary gland wrapped in adipose tissues.

Ridiculous, maybe. But they ruin my credibility as a childfreer. ::mutter.::

[gingembre.livejournal.com]

Actually, she did *not* "have her naked breast out" at BK. There is footage from an interview where she demonstrated her technique that I can point you towards if you're interested.

I have found through much practice that the *best* way is to have a shirt you can lift up slightly. After that, the baby's head and body covers everything. Most women also turn slightly into a corner, especially when latching on the baby. Using a blanket only draws attention - similar to putting a "breastfeeding here!" sign up. And for the record, most people I've encountered have been completely unaware that I was feeding the baby at all, they thought she was sleeping or just that I was cuddling her, and they were there from latch-on to finish.

On a further side note, the base problem here is that our culture sexualizes something that isn't meant to be sexualized. Many cultures have women going topless also with no thought to it being "indecent". And although quite a few people have foot fetishes, no one suggests that we not show our feet for the sake of modesty (at least not in this century!) Breasts are not meant to be sex toys, in fact almost no other species uses them as such. They are also not meant to sell beer and cars :-)

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

That's all I'd heard about the BK woman. What I get for listening to word on the street. Like I've said, I really have no problem with breastfeeding... and I wouldn't go topless, because I'm one of those unfortunate souls that needs a bra.

And I agree wholeheartedly on the beer or cars bit. Just because men don't have them....

[goddess588.livejournal.com]

Covering it up encourages people to think that it's not acceptable.

[conuly]

I'm sure my sister would agree :)

But honestly, I'd cover up simply because it's easier. If people get offended over something that's so easy to compromise on, I'll go compromising.

[goddess588.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I'm glad that I didn't feel that I had to, though I probably wouldn't have. I'm not sure - I guess it depends on society and mine seems far more liberal than yours.