Breastfeeding

[hairwitch]

Does it gross anyone else out when a woman whips out her boob in public to feed a baby? People say "Oh it's natural so it's ok." Blech. I don't want to see it. Or the women who pump their breastmilk at work. Do that sh*t at home

Comments

[glitteringlynx]

If they're trying to be subtle about it, breastfeeding in public wouldn't bother me much. The act is fine to me, but I'd be more embarrassed for the modesty of others who would not want to see a breast in public, not even for that (cultural or generational reasons, for example).

As for pumping at work? I'd ask if she could do it in the bathroom at least. I've never been around someone who has used a pump so I don't know how loud it is, but if it's anything like the slurping/sucking noises a child can produce, I wouldn't want that accidentally getting over the phone when talking with a customer.

[avenginglioness]

but if you live in a place where going topless is legal then what would it matter?

[glitteringlynx]

Because the topless law is very restricted. You can't go topless on city property and you can't go topless in private places. So you're basically limited to your own private residence, including your yard.

[avenginglioness]

oh, ok. ^_^

[glitteringlynx]

Yeh the whole law was permitted because there were some women who were mowing their lawns topless or just walking down the street and some people took offense but they argued when it's hot they want a right to doff it if they so choose. So the law was passed permitting it. However because of the public uproars from people (prudes and mothers, mostly) all private places like stores nad malls made sure they enforced the "no shirt no shoes no service" sort of rules that have always been in place, and many cities made by-laws prohibiting toplessness at public parks, pools, etc.

It was an intersting situation, but I was pro-topless. I never understood as a kid why boys could go topless and I couldn't! It's damn hot in summer! :)

[esyllt]

In theory I don't mind so long as it's the same for men and women. But as a pasty white, melanin-deficient person, I could never do it because of the sunburn factor. I'm in pain just thinking about having sunburnt breasts.

[coanteen]

Wait, no. The ontario law came about because a woman in Guelph walked down a city street topless. So you're allowed to be topless on public property (streets, provincial parks, beaches, etc) and your own property. Private property owners can make their own rules, naturally, so you may not be able to walk into a store topless.
Basically anywhere on public property where men can be topless, women can too. Presumably you can't be topless in city buildings, but that's because men wouldn't be allowed to either.

[glitteringlynx]

Some cities like St. Catharines made a by-law prohobiting being topless on any city property, including parks, pools and beaches.

[coanteen]

But they'd have to do it to both men and women, since it was the gender inequality that was at the heart of the original case. If it's women-only, they're just setting themselves up for another suit (should someone feel like suing).

[coanteen]

Ha ha, I tried to look it up. I didn't find that particular bylaw, but I did find the city-owned swimming pool bylaws. In Cambridge the city banned topless women, but the crown attorney refused to prosecute.
Heh.

[glitteringlynx]

St. Catharines is home to a lot of conservative Christians, so female nudity struck a bad chord with a lot of people there. However most of the arguments I heard against female toplessness were concerns about children seeing it.

Despite the law, I have never seen a female go topless in Ontario.

[coanteen]

I've done it at provincial campgrounds (on the beach only, I didn't sit around our campsite topless), and I've seen a few women topless in downtown Toronto the summer after the verdict. Then I suppose the novelty wore off, and the general unpleasantness of sweat-sticky boobs trumped the good fight for justice.

Oh, and my nipples got sunburned once. It was paaaiiin.

[glitteringlynx]

EEEP! Taht would be ever so painful. :/ Even worse than my cat accidentally clawing them, I'm sure.

[glitteringlynx]

I dunno.. there were an awful lot of signs for the Canadian Alliance in St. C when they existed (and before merging with the PCs). Also I had a lot of bad run-ins with Christians while I lived there, all of which were more on the Conservative end. The more Liberal people I knew were either non-religious, or not Christian.

I could've just had really really bad luck for the 13 years I lived there (just moved from there in Sept).

[visionari]

I've only ever heard one in operation, but it was just kind of a tiny motor sound; similar to the noise an RC car makes, but not as loud.