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Breast-Feeding Moms Serve McDonald's an Order of Protest, Super-Sized
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True, Breast-Feeding
Moms protested McDonald's after a breast-feeding mom was kicked out. Credit: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
Visitors at a McDonald's in Phoenix on Aug. 21 were treated to one heckuva show, as mothers of dozens of newborns who had descended on the restaurant in protest promptly took out their breasts and began nursing.
It was enough to turn managers whiter than Ronald McDonald, and, the Arizona Republic reports, is super-sized order of fast food karma. With milk.
According to the newspaper, Clarissa Bradford was given the boot (or big red shoe) from the McDonald's at 51st Avenue and Cactus Road on Aug. 11 by an assistant manager after she started breast-feeding her 6-month-old baby.
McDonald's execs quickly realized a public relations nightmare, and, before you can say "Big Mac Attack," they issued an apology and swore it would never happen again.
Nonetheless, the Arizona Republic reports, the story grabbed headlines, as well as plenty of criticism of Bradford and other mothers who breast-feed in public.
Protester Rachel Starchman tells the newspaper one anonymous Internet critic posted that breast-feeding women should take their babies to the bathroom.
"Would you want to eat in the bathroom? That's disgusting," Starchman tells the Arizona Republic.
That's when protesters, determined to show critics a thing (or two), staged the demonstration. More than 100 patrons were privy to the event, the newspaper reports, but restaurant managers apparently did their best to make sure reporters weren't among them.
The Arizona Republic reports a McDonald's employee stood outside to shoo away the press.
However, Starchman and fellow protester Alisa Ilardo, came outside to speak with reporters. Ilardo tells the Arizona Republic that protesters are 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 says.
Related: Breast-Feeding Moms Protest Restaurant
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
8-23-2010 @ 1:53PM
MIKA said...I agree - breast-feeding women should take their babies to the bathroom and/or GO back home...
Reply
8-23-2010 @ 2:56PM
Gail said...I think that assistant manager is a real "boob" for not being more with it! The only thing I see is a mother feeding her baby. If your moral standards are so high that that scenario offends you...why don't you find the folks who design teen and tween clothing? Now, that's where we should be commenting on over-exposed breasts! In this society that is saturated with inappropriate images and portrayals of women.....you're going to choose a breastfeeding mother to pick on??? What's up with that? Is that because you view her as an easy mark? Disgusting!
8-23-2010 @ 3:00PM
shell said...Mika, try to get comfortable holding a 20lb 6 month old baby, undo your nursey bra while holding the baby with one hand or close it up while holding, burping and not dropping the baby. And what should I do with my other children playing in the play land? Take them to the bathroom too? Nursing can take up to 20 minutes. Are you suggesting nursing mothers should then stay home for the childs first year? Nursing is the most healthy, economical and most natural way to feed a child. Grow up and get over it. I see young women walking down the street everyday with breast hanging out and pierced navels showing. Young mens underwear hanging out. I don't want to see this either. If you don't like it, don't look!
8-23-2010 @ 3:57PM
LS said...As a mother who breast-fed exclusively for the first several months of my son's life, I fail to see what the problem is.
If I went in public, I either had a bottle prepared ahead of time, filled with pumped milk; or I brought a light blanket with me so I could cover up and feed him while maintaining my own modesty.
I fed him in restaurants, malls, schools, public parks, and even in church, and never once had a problem.
I suspect that the women who are getting kicked out are the ones who expose much more than they need to, in order to call attention to themselves. They want the attention, they want to cause a scene and have a fuss made over them.
It's absolutely possible to breast-feed a child and have nobody around you be the wiser. It's a matter of modesty. And perhaps therein lies the problem. Nobody knows what "modesty" is anymore.
Reply
8-23-2010 @ 9:12PM
pandi7546 said...So true. You wrote exactly what I was thinking!
10-04-2010 @ 9:35PM
Pat J said...You are right!!!
8-23-2010 @ 6:53PM
Laura said...I agree with 100% with Shell. What is so disturbing about a woman feeding her child? I would like to see the resturant that would throw out a woman or teenager for that matter that has her breasts hanging out. Or for that matter her ass hanging out of the bottom of her shorts, or her thong. Come on! Where is the maturity level. And hows about all of you who think women should breast feed in the bathroom, eat YOUR lunch in there. GROW UP!
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 3:29AM
delia said...@LS: Breastfeeding is so easy and clean, why do you want us to waste time pumping and take a bottle with us whenever we get out of the house? Come on. Breasts are made for feeding babies, let's use them without fear of being judged. :-)
Reply
8-23-2010 @ 8:46PM
dot said...I agree with LS my children are 30,29,25 and 21 and they were all breastfed for atleast one year at chruch, malls, restaurants, playgrounds, whereever and NEVER once did I ever have a problem. Only other breast feeding moms would glance over and know what was going on BEST thing I ever did
Reply
8-23-2010 @ 8:59PM
ttrexxx said...do you ever trip over them going up steps
8-23-2010 @ 8:56PM
ttrexxx said...I carry a digital camera When it's feeding time i take pictures and that stops them.
Reply
8-23-2010 @ 11:00PM
NMCD said...Yeah but what was she doing in McDonalds in the first place.... Huh?
Actually people can be idiots about this on both sides. There are women who have been pursued by idiot petty authorities who have harassed them for breastfeeding in cars in mall parking lots, under blankets ( I'm not making this up). Women need to do what they need to do. On the otherhand there are women for doom NIP- ing is some sort of statement about what an awesome parent they are, and the more visable the better. Women should be left alone to breastfeed and as far as any social awkwardness goes there should be a little more empathy and common sense on both sides.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 7:27AM
trexxx said...I guess you never saw the jim carry movie where he knocks the baby off the boobs and starts to suck them his self..lol
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 12:56PM
Breastfeeding queen said...I was JUST in an argument with someone the other day about a stupid youtube video of a mother breastfeeding her baby. I totally agree with Shell and everyone other woman who has breastfed their child and understands the 'TROUBLES' and 'inconvenience' of NOT having a designated retreat area. If people have such a problem with it...maybe companies that find it so offensive or DO NOT want to run into this problem should consider having an area for Nursing mothers. It will keep from having such a SCENE take place.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 7:27PM
Lauren said...I dunno, I find these protesting breast-feeders just a little annoying. So one inconsiderate employee made a big deal, is that a just cause for "punishing" the entire restaurant? Its not like they spoke for the entire company. Live and let live. People do insensitive stuff all the time, just ask any pregnant woman, we're subject to all kinds of comments. Just inwardly laugh at how stupid they sound and move on with life.
Reply
8-24-2010 @ 8:18PM
Jimbobandmichelle said...With all the porn fashions of today gals are showcasing cameltoe, butt clevage, ass cracks and nipples. And when we were in line at the supermarket the other day some lady in a thong farted which we find much more inappropriate than whipping out a nipple for the wee one to suckle upon.
Reply
8-27-2010 @ 1:35AM
nadia said...Women breastfeeding in public isn't the issue here. I agree, it's a natural, normal thing and should be supported. However, There were people sitting in the McDonalds eating their food when this woman came and invaded their eating experience. It's like talking on a cell phone in a waiting room - you don't do it where people cannot get away. It's called respect. She should have respected the other customers' right to a boob-free eating experience, if they so chose to have one. They were there first and should not be forced to leave by any other customer, no matter what that customer does. They have a right to enjoy their meal. Yes, she has the right to enjoy hers as well, but it is just being polite, because there are invariably people who will be offended. There are many other ways to breastfeed in public that are not so noticeable.
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10-04-2010 @ 9:34PM
Pat J said...I'm a woman that breastfed my children. I have seen women breast feed their child without even a blanket to cover her breast. I am sick and tried of people thinking they can do whatever they want. Woman can pump the milk out of their breast before going out. It's really amazing that these woman think they are great moms but maybe a little planning would help.
Reply
10-05-2010 @ 4:49PM
Tina said...I've had to feed my child in a bathroom before and it is disgusting. We have the goddess given right to feed our children wherever and whenever. The only reason why I did it in the bathroom that day was I was trying to keep my 2 year old in the same place! It was at the library and everytime I got comfortable with the baby, the 2 year old would take off and library personnel were getting irritated with me. I had a bottle of expressed milk with me and he'd already eaten it and wanted more. I've seen women at Disney World whip out a breast (under a blanket) and nurse, so what's the dif?
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