Breastfeeding in Military Uniform (employment, security, children, jobs)
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Letting a hungry baby scream would be much more appropriate, than doing something women's bodies were made for....feeding a baby. Should not matter what a woman is wearing....feed the baby.
A woman should change out of her uniform before feeding her child? What is wrong with some people in this country? There's nothing wrong with breastfeeding, in public or private. Breasts are for feeding children. Everything else associated with them is secondary.
"People are comparing breastfeeding in uniform to urinating and defecating in uniform. They're comparing it to the woman who posed in "Playboy" in uniform [in 2007]" Scott told Yahoo! Shine in an interview. "We never expected it to be like this." "I'm an X-ray tech and I breastfeed in my uniform all the time," Scott says. "Granted they're scrubs. But people do it all the time in their uniforms. If you have a hungry baby, why would you take the time to change completely?"
I am all for breast feeding a child, it is after all the way God wanted things to work to begin with. But that being said, I am against a women in uniform PUBLICLY breast feeding their child. Not because she is breast feeding in public (kinda against it, but that is a personal thing) but because she is out of uniform while she is doing it. The military uniform is part of the professional image that the United States military projects to our nation and to the world. That image is needed to show the professionalism of our armed forces and to show that the members of military are ready to do their duty at any time and any place. The image of two soldiers breast feeding their children shows that they are not ready to do their duty (yes yes, I understand that they aren't in a combat zone).
So I believe that yes a military woman (which my wife was for 21 years) should be allowed to breast feed their children, just do it in private if you are wearing your uniform. (which my wife did for both of our children)
I am all for breast feeding a child, it is after all the way God wanted things to work to begin with. But that being said, I am against a women in uniform PUBLICLY breast feeding their child. Not because she is breast feeding in public (kinda against it, but that is a personal thing) but because she is out of uniform while she is doing it. The military uniform is part of the professional image that the United States military projects to our nation and to the world. That image is needed to show the professionalism of our armed forces and to show that the members of military are ready to do their duty at any time and any place. The image of two soldiers breast feeding their children shows that they are not ready to do their duty (yes yes, I understand that they aren't in a combat zone).
So I believe that yes a military woman (which my wife was for 21 years) should be allowed to breast feed their children, just do it in private if you are wearing your uniform. (which my wife did for both of our children)
I think the core issue isn't so much discretion as it is the fact that they are nursing while in uniform.
Most nursing mothers are discrete. I breastfed all 5 of mine and I did it in public places but with a strategically placed blanket. Never had a problem.
Some people just need to get over their boob obsession.
I'm for breastfeeding, 100%. Even in public when discreet.
But mothers of infants don't belong in uniform in the first place. That's what makes the picture so incongruous and bizarre.
The uniform is supposed to assure everyone that this female soldier is just like a man. But she isn't. She's a vulnerable mother with a still-more-vulnerable infant. Breastfeeding exposes that vulnerability, which is not exactly the image we want our military to project.
Last edited by Charles45; 05-31-2012 at 02:54 AM..
People DO deficate and urinate while in uniform...they pull down their uniform pants just like everyone else. Some leave skidmarks...like everyone else. Some have accidents in their pants, like everyone else. Some mensturate ::gasp:: and stain like everyone else. The women unbutton or lift their uniform shirts to breastfeed just like everyone else. There is NOTHING WRONG with doing it while in uniform and why the HELL would anyone think otherwise? Explain yourselves. And explain how/why/when they should change their clothing so YOU feel better about YOUR rediculous ideas.
I'm for breastfeeding, 100%. Even in public when discreet.
But mothers of infants don't belong in uniform in the first place. That's what makes the picture so incongruous and bizarre.
The uniform is supposed to assure everyone that this female soldier is just like a man. But she isn't. She's a vulnerable mother with a still-more-vulnerable infant. Breastfeeding exposes that vulnerability, which is not exactly the image we want our military to project.
The '50s just called, they want their chauvinistic attitude back.
I think the core issue isn't so much discretion as it is the fact that they are nursing while in uniform.
Most nursing mothers are discrete. I breastfed all 5 of mine and I did it in public places but with a strategically placed blanket. Never had a problem.
Some people just need to get over their boob obsession.
I agree.
I nursed two kids and did so in public all the time and didn't use a blanket - who wants to have their face covered while eating (my kids didn't). Even though I didn't use a blanket you couldn't see my boob, my shirt would cover it and the baby would even cover my midriff (even though I don't see how this would be offensive to anyone with all the bare mid driff shirts and bikinis going around the street). Most breast feeding moms don't go around waving breast all over the place like a stripper. It is a quick movement to feed a baby and that is what breast are for.
Some people do really just need to get over it. You should be happy more women are breastfeeding, it is shown to decrease the risk of obesity in children so more of those breast fed kids will be able to wear the military uniform.
I'm for breastfeeding, 100%. Even in public when discreet.
But mothers of infants don't belong in uniform in the first place. That's what makes the picture so incongruous and bizarre.
The uniform is supposed to assure everyone that this female soldier is just like a man. But she isn't. She's a vulnerable mother with a still-more-vulnerable infant. Breastfeeding exposes that vulnerability, which is not exactly the image we want our military to project.
By your own admission, you never served in the military and I seriously doubt you're a nursing mother. Not to mention that your ideas of what women should be "allowed" to do come from a time before I was born.
So, what's your point?
Should a woman have to give up a career that's she's worked hard for? No!
Should a woman's ONLY career choice be hearth and home? No
I get where you're coming from, you feel threatened. I just fail to see why.
Come visit us in this century, you might like it, and we have cookies!
Uh-oh...I can feel it coming...a Don't Milk, Don't Tell (DMDT) policy!
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