Valley moms breastfeed infants at McDonalds in protest

[one...two...tree 2,762]

by Derek Quizon -

The Arizona Republic

Dozens of Valley moms converged Saturday on a McDonald's in Phoenix to breastfeed their infants in protest of a woman who was asked to leave the establishment for doing the same.

An assistant manager of the McDonald's at 51st Avenue and Cactus Road asked Clarissa Bradford and her children to leave when Bradford began nursing her 6-month-old child on Aug. 11.

Although the restaurant this week issued an apology saying it would never happen again, demonstrators were upset at public reaction to the story and wanted to respond to critics who say mothers shouldn't breastfeed in public.

Rachel Starchman, who attended the protest, said she was upset about comments over the internet, including posters who suggested mothers breastfeed their babies in the bathroom.

"Would you want to eat in the bathroom? That's disgusting," she said.

A restaurant employee stood outside the entrance, shooing members of the media away. Starchman and another woman, Alisa Ilardo, came out to speak with reporters. They estimated there were about 100 people in the restaurant at the time, mostly mothers with infant children.

There was no sign of resistance from restaurant employees, Starchman said, characterizing the atmosphere as relaxed with most of the women using the time to have casual conversation. Once inside, a few of them even bought food, she said.

Ilardo said the group was not upset with McDonald's, but they wanted to make a statement.

"It was just someone's bad judgment, but we need to keep people from treating moms like this," she said.

Read more: http://www.azcentral...l#ixzz0xJVswO8o

[^_^ 5,021]

This country can be amusing at times.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This country can be amusing at times.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Woman breastfeeding her baby. So what? This is an issue for someone? Get a life!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This country can be amusing at times.

Yep

[evli1966 88]

by Derek Quizon -

The Arizona Republic

Dozens of Valley moms converged Saturday on a McDonald's in Phoenix to breastfeed their infants in protest of a woman who was asked to leave the establishment for doing the same.

An assistant manager of the McDonald's at 51st Avenue and Cactus Road asked Clarissa Bradford and her children to leave when Bradford began nursing her 6-month-old child on Aug. 11.

Although the restaurant this week issued an apology saying it would never happen again, demonstrators were upset at public reaction to the story and wanted to respond to critics who say mothers shouldn't breastfeed in public.

Rachel Starchman, who attended the protest, said she was upset about comments over the internet, including posters who suggested mothers breastfeed their babies in the bathroom.

"Would you want to eat in the bathroom? That's disgusting," she said.

A restaurant employee stood outside the entrance, shooing members of the media away. Starchman and another woman, Alisa Ilardo, came out to speak with reporters. They estimated there were about 100 people in the restaurant at the time, mostly mothers with infant children.

There was no sign of resistance from restaurant employees, Starchman said, characterizing the atmosphere as relaxed with most of the women using the time to have casual conversation. Once inside, a few of them even bought food, she said.

Ilardo said the group was not upset with McDonald's, but they wanted to make a statement.

"It was just someone's bad judgment, but we need to keep people from treating moms like this," she said.

Read more: http://www.azcentral...l#ixzz0xJVswO8o

This country can be amusing at times.

Woman breastfeeding her baby. So what? This is an issue for someone? Get a life!

Yep

I want to know were any of the children 48months?

[evli1966 88]

Really no one saw Grownups?

It wasn't that bad

[Darnell 8,478]

Good For Them !! Now, let's track what happens to that McDonald's Employee, who was unaware of the 'allowable things' in the Company Handbook?

[slim 1,530]

We're not mad at McDonalds, but we're going to protest there because of what we read on the internet.

Women are funny.

Really no one saw Grownups?

It wasn't that bad

See it for no other reason than Salma Hayek in a cheerleader outfit.

It was actually a pretty funny movie.

[IncorrectPolitics 26]

I don't know why people make such a big deal out of breastfeeding. Maybe if more people would do it everyone wouldn't be so fat and stupid.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I wonder why public sex isn't legal? I mean it's just as much a natural thing as breastfeeding!

[caybee 21]

I've read some posts by some women who were there. Their version:

The first woman was nursing, covered, in a corner. The manager asked her to stop. She told the manager she was allowed by law to breastfeed in public. The manager then escorted her, her family, and her friends and their children to their cars, while threatening to call the police. They didn't make a scene and left quietly, but she was upset and told some friends on Facebook later, and they organized the nurse-in. Once it had been announced, McDonalds issued an apology through the media.

The nurse-in was peaceful. Many of the families bought food. The manager who threw out the first mom wasn't reprimanded, nor was he present at the nurse-in.

Facebook link. (I haven't visited the FB page - can't at work.)

Edited August 23, 2010 by caybee

[DEDixon 39]

Rally for topless equality in San Francisco

The sight of men wearing bras or bikini tops hardly causes a ripple in San Francisco anymore, but on Sunday, a group of guys did so for a different purpose - to demand that women be allowed to legally bare their breasts in public.

Not because men want to see them, the protesters said. For justice.

"If we're supposed to be equal across the board, then women should be allowed to show their breasts," said Michael Staley, 43, who was topless except for a bustier and a straw hat. "Why can't they? Men can, women should, period."

The San Francisco resident was one of about 14 men and six women who took part in the protest at Justin Herman Plaza. The event was part of the third annual Go Topless Day held in other cities around the country, but this was the first time it was held here.

Some of the men covered their nipples with red tape. One man had a watermelon, which was cut in half and tied together with bungee cords across his chest.

And for women like Angela Oliver, 23, of San Francisco, it was a chance to fully enjoy a warm summer's day.

"We should be able to do everything that men can, and I like my boobs and I like being naked, so here I am," she said. "I don't feel like I'm being sexual right now by being topless. It's completely natural."

The event was organized by the Raelian Movement, which according to its website believes "that life on Earth was the result of scientific creation by an advanced, extraterrestrial human civilization, the Elohim, mistaken for gods in the Bible."

On the GoTopless.org website, the group said those scientists, "both male and female, used their mastery of genetic engineering to create humans in their own image (breasts included)."

People in the United States fear that kids will be traumatized "by seeing boobs around," said Logan Starman, a member of the Raelian Movement and a spokesman for the local protest.

"Nothing can be further from the truth," said Starman, who donned a floral bikini top. "I'm from Europe and children see topless women at the beach all the time and they've never been traumatized by it. Nudity is beautiful."

Oakland's Luna Baron, 45, circulated a petition among the small crowd of spectators.

"There were people who wouldn't sign the petition, but they were happy to stand there taking photographs, which is part of the problem," Baron said. "It's so sensationalized that a woman has her shirt off. It feels good to me just to be out here without my shirt on. I just want this to be normal. I don't want this to be a big deal, especially when it's hot out."

San Francisco police came by to check on the action, but didn't bust anybody for public nudity. In fact, they determined the only disturbance of the peace came from a small band that played music for the demonstrators.

Ann Martinez, a bystander from Hollister, was amused by the sights, but said her husband Nick wasn't about to let her doff the Steve Young 49ers jersey she wore. "He says yes to them, but no to me," she said.

Tourist Mary Kelley said the event would make a fun Facebook moment to share with her friends back in Fresno, where a topless event "might not fly so good."

"If someone wants to do that, that's their prerogative," Kelley said. "But keep it in San Francisco, OK?"

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/23/BA221F1O09.DTL&type=printable

Edited August 23, 2010 by DEDixon

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I've read some posts by some women who were there. Their version:

The first woman was nursing, covered, in a corner. The manager asked her to stop. She told the manager she was allowed by law to breastfeed in public. The manager then escorted her, her family, and her friends and their children to their cars, while threatening to call the police. They didn't make a scene and left quietly, but she was upset and told some friends on Facebook later, and they organized the nurse-in. Once it had been announced, McDonalds issued an apology through the media.

The nurse-in was peaceful. Many of the families bought food. The manager who threw out the first mom wasn't reprimanded, nor was he present at the nurse-in.

Facebook link. (I haven't visited the FB page - can't at work.)

That manager is an uptight ####### and he should be fired. I hope she sues.

Edited August 23, 2010 by El Buscador

[BobandXiaomei 14]

That's SCARY! Reminds me of Stephen King's IT.