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Breastfeeding In Uniform Outcry

The above poster image by American charity group “mum2mum” promoting breastfeeding week in August has come under fire by the US Military.

Should this photo be banned?

The US Military feel that their uniform should not be used to further the cause of any charity. The poster campaign is aimed at women in Fairchild Air Force Base, USA. The uniform is seen as a barrier for women who want to breastfeed and the campaign’s aim is to promote a healthy breastfeeding relationship for them.

Having breastfed both my children, the issue of public breastfeeding always arose. I wasn’t confident enough not to cover myself and baby, but would happily find a corner somewhere to feed my children. My chunni and I were best freinds.

However, in my own home, I would go upstairs if we had guests to feed in private. When my children were very young, I would find myself missing out on hours of an evening just feeding.

Public reaction to breastfeeding is quite mixed. I have experienced both positive and negative comments and have known women who have been asked to leave establishments for feeding their babies.

In this case, a more forward thinking attitude from the US Military could be to embrace the poster and acknowledge a serious challenge faced by many its service women.

Bunty

Posted on June 11, 2012 at 8:24 pm in Daily Musings & Ponderings   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL

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2 Comments to “Breastfeeding In Uniform Outcry”

    
  1. Mysterious Pinkie
    June 13, 2012 at 8:46 am

    I am all for breastfeeding anywhere you want. I think people are far too prudish about seeing a bit of boob – just don’t look if you have a problem!

    BUT, I have to admit, wearing a uniform, any uniform, while making a political statement, which is what this is, needs to be in line with whoever gave you that uniform. I work for a multinational consultancy, if I dared used my company’s name to further my own cause, I would be in much more trouble than these two women.

    The uniform these women are wearing is 100% representative of who they work for. This biggest problem the military probably has with this picture is that these two women didn’t ask for permission to represent the entire military in this way and hence affecting their public image. There is no doubt that this is now what stupid americans will think about when they think of women in the military – soft cuddly mums and not the war-ready women that they actually could be.

    Reply
  2. bubbly
    June 13, 2012 at 9:22 am

    The campaign could have made the point had both women been styled like the woman on the right but the woman on the left looks styled to draw attention to her breasts and not the feeding part. Sex sells or so I’m tired of hearing. It’s as contrived as that now infamous Time Magazine cover with a three year old hanging off a breast.

    The military don’t have copyright over army print I didn’t know that is a US military uniform it could just be a naff jacket from John Lewis….

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