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Tyra Breastfeeds
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
I never watch the Tyra Banks Show, but I read on the Net that she had a recent show where she talked about motherhood issues that new moms face. A few of her guests had difficulty breastfeeding and so she had a breastfeeding expert on the show to instruct mothers how to nurse properly.
Although Tyra isn't a mom, I'm glad she discussed breastfeeding in a positive light and even brought in an expert to show the proper way to do it. I think this one show probably made tons of young mothers think differently about breastfeeding their babies. Kudos to Tyra!
Labels: news, news.commentary
posted by Jennifer James @ 12:26 PM,
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Breastfeeding rights: two recent cases to consider
Saturday, June 23, 2007
It's a beautiful day today in Winston-Salem, NC, albeit hot as you-know-where. While the south offers plenty of perks like sweet tea and friendly people, comfortable summer weather ain't one of them.I'm tied to the house all day because I have to answer potty training questions from nervous parents. I'm a Pull-Ups parent spokesperson and manning the Pull-Ups Totline one Saturday in June is part of the job description. So, while I wait for my first calls, I'll blog.
In today's Boston Globe (there has been a lot of breastfeeding news out of Massachusetts of late), a breastfeeding mother of a seven-week-old and Harvard medical student talks about how difficult it will be to take her boards without extended breaks to pump. She must pass the clinical knowledge exam run by the National Board of Medical Examiners by August in order to start her residency. The problem: There are only 45 allotted minutes of breaks during the nine-hour test. That's not enough time to pump, but the board will not relent arguing that breastfeeding is not a disability and therefore requires no special accommodations.
Here's what I think: While breastfeeding is not a disability, it does require time, energy and attention from nursing moms. The National Board of Medical Examiners should know this more than anyone and should unequivocally allow additional break time for this mom. How insensitive can they be? Now this hardworking mom will be more worried about her breasts, instead of concentrating on her test. Why should this mother be penalized for breastfeeding? It's not fair for motherhood at all.
Also, this story has been in the news for a couple of weeks now. Did you hear about the Florida mother who is suing a restaurant whose manager asked her and her family to leave because she was breastfeeding? Despite being reimbursed the $155 dinner bill, this mom is going out for blood and suing them for unspecified damages due to emotional distress.
Here's what I think: While personally I wouldn't sue because I hate (too much) conflict, I can see how suing will make businesses more aware of state breastfeeding laws. Suing can really hurt business owners because they can lose potential customers who do not believe in public breastfeeding, but the law is the law and they have to abide by it.
What do you think?
Labels: news.commentary
posted by Jennifer James @ 9:17 AM,
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Breastfeeding and Gender Equality
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
From time to time I run across an article that reports an idea or action that's so far off-base, it simply begs for commentary. We all know that in Muslim countries men and women are afforded separate and unequal rights. While Muslim women are slowly seeing small opportunities for gender equality spurred on by the changing climate of a global society, there is still room for drastic improvements.
In an attempt to find a legitimate, holy way for men and women to work alongside each other, an Egyptian cleric from Al-Azhar University, one of Sunni Islam's most prestigious institutions, issued a fatwa (religious edict) that said adult men could breastfeed from their female co-workers in order to create a family bond akin to a mother-son relationship. Creating a family relationship, in this cleric's rationale, would then allow men and women to work side-by-side without tainting the traditional religious beliefs of Islam. Islamic rule forbids men and women from being alone together.
For me, his intentions were sort of in the right place, but his philosophy was in the gutter. Can't you just see his mind working?
[Him thinking.]But it wasn't brilliant. In fact, it's pretty disgusting. What if there wasn't an uproar over this fatwa and think how this edict would be like raping women -- every day. Can you imagine a grown man sucking on your breasts? I certainly can't.
I need to work with women.
But I can't.
Must find a way to work with women. Must find a way......
Hmm. Wait. a. minute! [Snaps fingers.] I've got it. Breastfeeding! Men could suck on their female colleagues' breasts and then we'd be like mother and son under Islamic law and women and men could work together. Brilliant! I'll even be able to get my jollies -- he..he..he. [Mutters to himself.]
Although this edict is disgusting, this is what is the most heinous.
Attiya had initially stood by his fatwa, but on Sunday he backtracked an apologised for the controversy. He said his fatwa was "only an opinion based on one incident".One incident?!? So, he must have taken his fatwa on a test-drive before releasing it to the public. Poor woman.
What this says to me: There are some nasty, deranged people on earth.
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Labels: news.commentary
posted by Jennifer James @ 6:59 AM,
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