Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Look out – breast-feeding mamas across the South have gotten all worked up after one of their own was allegedly slighted at an Applebee’s restaurant in Kentucky. The militant tittyslingers have called for a nationwide “nurse-in” to be staged at Applebee’s restaurant’s from noon to 2 p.m. on Sept. 8.
Knowing the temperment of our milking mothers here in Ashvegas, we’re guessing there will likely be a protest here. Just sayin’.
A Kentucky newspaper covers the original June incident here. Judge for yourself, but we think this woman was looking for trouble. We like to think that most people in this day and age understand the importance of breast-feeding. We don’t think it’s necessary to start slinging the mammaries around in a public protest to make the point.
The newspaper report, in part:
Applebee’s, woman in dispute over breast-feeding
In June, Brooke Ryan walked into a Nicholasville Road Applebee’s restaurant to celebrate an anniversary lunch with her children.
She walked out humiliated, in tears and without the lunch.
But the incident over breast-feeding her 7-month-old son at Applebee’s has spurred the soft-spoken 34-year-old to start a public awareness campaign on the rights of breastfeeding women in Kentucky.
“On a small scale, I want Applebee’s to change its policy,” Ryan said. “On a large scale … I want breast-feeding to be accepted.”
The dispute with Applebee’s began June 14. Ryan chose a booth in the back of the restaurant away from other customers. When her baby, Michael, got hungry, she began to nurse him discreetly, she said.
But a waitress came over and said that if she wanted to breast-feed, she had to cover the baby with a blanket. Ryan said it was so hot that she didn’t have a blanket. The waitress then repeated her request. Ryan said she then asked to see the manager and handed him a copy of the 2006 law that prohibits any interference with a woman breast-feeding her baby in public.
The manager said he knew about the law but a customer had complained about indecent exposure, so she had to cover the baby with a blanket.
Just as her food arrived, Ryan left to nurse her baby in her car.
Her lawyer wrote a letter to Thomas and King, the company that operates Central Kentucky’s Applebee’s. They got no response. After a second letter, a Thomas and King lawyer said the restaurant chain would consider keeping blankets in the restaurant so that breast-feeding women could cover themselves.
“That’s like telling Rosa Parks she still had to sit in the back of the bus, but we’ll give her a blanket to make her more comfortable,” Ryan said.
When contacted yesterday, Mike Scanlon, president of Thomas and King, said he didn’t know about the incident. However, he called the Herald-Leader back to say that Applebee’s had no policy against breast-feeding.
“It is perfectly legal to breast-feed in public and we support that,” Scanlon said. “I’m not sure the manager said cover the baby’s head, I think he said cover yourself modestly. This was by no means intended as interference, but a request to do it modestly, which I believe is an appropriate response.”
Ryan says that as an experienced breast-feeder, she is extremely modest, and, in that instance, made sure that she was facing into the corner.
“Some women think it’s fine to cover up with a blanket, but a woman shouldn’t be forced to,” said her husband, Michael Ryan. ….
Thirty-nine states, including Kentucky, allow women to breast-feed in any public or private location.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for about the first six months and support for breast-feeding for the first year and beyond as long as mutually desired by mother and child. But according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 11 percent of mothers meet the six-month mark. Thirty percent breast-feed exclusively for the first three months. Kentucky’s rates are 7.5 percent and 25 percent, respectively, according to a 2007 report.
Links:
www.breastfeeding.com
www.birthwithoutboundaries.com, the group sponsoring the nurse-in
Well toots you must be freakin Kreskin – no I don’t have children, however, don’t know about anyone else on here. Although I know nothing of the mechanics of breastfeeding I know something of a practice called “common courtesy,” of which some of you who have had children feel that they don’t have to display anymore. That’s why the exhaustive use of that old and tired “why don’t you go sit in the bathroom, etc.,” canard doesn’t hold titmilk. No one is going to receive their “nourishment” in a restroom but if you think making a display of yourself in a public place means that no one can comment on it you’re sadly mistaken.
However, as far as I am concerned, it’s not the actual act of breastfeeding that is offensive – it’s the attitude of your whole “movement” to shove it in our faces and force other mothers to breastfeed that is the sour note in this whole enterprise. Not to mention that you lot have compared yourselves to Rosa Parks, MLK, et al. Realize that you are not only offending those of us without children, tits
it’s hilarious how obvious it is that none of ya’ll have kids. you obviously don’t know the first thing about breastfeeding.
you seem to be missing the point entirely. there is no reason that a breastfeeding mother should even have to be discreet. it’s not offensive. plain and simple. if it really freaks you out, feel free to go sit in the bathroom or put a blanket over your head.
It’s attention whoring, plain and simple. You can compare yourselves to Rosa Parks all you want – you’re still irrelevant. Most women who publicly breastfeed will not have a confrontation because they are discreet. It’s the attention whores who run lactating to the press and their myrmidons on the web who salivate at the chance for their 15 minutes.
You screeching titweilers are the ones who are sending your "cause" back 50 years. Your smug attempts at "educating" the knuckle dragging masses are condescending at best and pitiful at worst. Women who want to breastfeed will and those who don’t – wait for tit – won’t. And you will just have to deal.
So show them titties tomorrow and I hope Applebee’s sales skyrocket. Titwits.
LLL? Liberated Lactiving Lovers? Oh please do go on and explain.
Melissa is right on point, angry moms. I am quite liberal, a woman (an Asheville one at that) but don’t expect me to think there is a growing movement trying to take the rights away from breastfeeding mammas. This is a serious case of choosing your battles. How about dealing with our failing school lunches? Growing deficit? Never ending war? Hell… go nuts about Reynolds Mtn! Just dont spend your days going to ‘LLL’ (?) surfing the net for injustice or whipping it out at Applebees. Your not feeding your child, your using them to make some grand statement that doesnt need to be made.
Rosa park was discriminated against for something she had no ability to control whatsoever….her race.
This woman just "happened" to walk into an applebees with a breast feeding pamplet…and yet, this model of preparedness, this paragon of forethought…didn’t bring anything at all to cover her child…hmmm…what a coincidence.
Jesus christ, use your heads. It’s obvious what happened.
Breast feeding should be readily accepted in public, but at the same time.. a little discretion is always advisable.
I mean sex is just a natural as breastfeeding. In fact far more people have sex than breastfeed…but you can’t go around getting a handjob in public. That’s just common sense. the same common sense can apply in this situation
So breast feed. For god’s sake, breastfeed! But maybe in the future…stuff a little tiny blanket in your purse or backpack. Don’t use your child as the catalyst for your own agenda.
Becuase you know what…your baby doesn’t give a shit where it’s fed. It’s just Hungry.
I agree that breastfeeding should be no big deal. That is the point we irrelevant house-frau, wacked lactivists are trying to get across. The rates of breastfeeding success in this country are dismally low, and the research shows that improving these rates could have a big positive impact on public health. Asking a woman to cover herself implies that breastfeeding is a shameful act. Our cultural attitudes need to change. The huge response to the Delta airlines incident last year shows that nurse outs are not a waste of time.
Next time your having lunch, why not drape a nice blanket over your head. Oh or better yet why not take your food and sit in a bathroom stall.
Oh please..the point of this protest is to prove a point.Breastfeeding is not indecent exposure its food for our baby and anyone that thinks otherwise is simple being closeminded and immature. I have do and will breastfeed my child in public, I am discreet..I am not slinging anything, or wiping it out..I am FEEDING MY CHILD..and if I didn’t and he screamed his head off I am sure you would have some choice thoughts about my mothering ablilities then also.. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. and Melissa, whoeever you are..before you come back blasting my comment..as you have done to 3 other people.. get a life and move on..you think the "dumbasses" at applebees on saturday have nothing better to do.. you have trolled and replied 3 times to this report.. oh hell go ahead reply to my comment..( I know you won’t be able to help yourself) but guess who’s not gonna be here to read it…maybe I will be at Applebees practicing my civil rights.
OH and to those that cannot believe she just HAPPEN to have the Law printed to hand out.
Most people who attend LLL have those laws printed on cards for such times as this..when our Civil Rights are being stomped upon. Good for her for being prepared.
I find nothing wrong with breastfeeding. You would never know with most of the gals who do it. It’s these attention-starved housewives who need to feel relevant by looking for a "cause" that gets me all snarky. These militant "lactivists" jump down the throats of women who bottle feed but heaven forbid that you ask them to have a modicum of decency when "feeding their child." They’re wacked.
Yeah. Those stupid breastfeeding moms should just shut up and go to the back of the bus… or else they are just looking for trouble.
Hi, just to clarify: she is not suing. She said she had no intention of it. (It’s in the article.)
Also, I know many moms who carry copies of the law around just in case of trouble. Not looking for it, though. Because, really, who wants to be called out in front of other diners and humiliated by some man who states that his main job is to make people comfortable? (Except you and your baby.) In front of your children?
Not many moms are interested in that. Sheesh, it says she has 8 kids, she’s too busy for that kind of crap.
But lots of moms carry the law. It is recommended by LLL and also Health departments all over the country.
Yes. Please sue instead of being a dumb ass at an Applebee’s on Saturday.
Then yes, Paul, we are glad it wasn’t your wife, because exactly what our society needs is another whiner suing for no good reason other than to retire early. Follow the sensible path, such as outlined by Melissa, if you feel you’re wronged, but staging an indecent exposure rally (which is what it will be, since the purpose in this case will be to expose the breasts and not to feed the babies) is nothing but a publicity stunt and suing over something like this is nothing but a get-rich-quick scheme.
My wife has chosen to breastfeed our children and I support her. There is no reason that she should have to cover herself or our children while they are nursing. Bottlefed babies aren’t asked to do so, and there’s as much "sexual" in bottles (look at that big nipple!) as there is to breastfeeding an infant. People who are offended need to realize that they are the ones who are out of line. Why should their hang-ups prevent a mother from giving her child the food recommended by all the major health authorities?
Also – anyone who thinks that a baby older than 6 months is going to be A-OK with having his or her head covered while nursing, has not ever been around a baby that age! It’s a rare baby who will tolerate that. Unless moms who breastfeed go into seclusion for 1-2 years after the birth of each baby (ridiculous) then we need to support them when they’re in public and need to feed their child.
The manager *broke the law* for KY. The mom had a copy of the law with her, and he still *broke the law.* They should be glad that she’s not suing them. If it happened to my wife, we would be suing.
Kenny, thanks for the alert. we say – bring it.
Look out here come the tit-wits! Your site was linked on a site where there are a bunch of mammary slingin mommies!
why is it that breastfeeding mothers are demoralized for feeding their kids? i’m sure she wasn’t the only mother in that restaurant feeding her child. if all you pervs would get off your high-horses and realize that without breastfeeding YOU wouldn’t be here either, breastfeeding moms might not feel like they have to tote law libraries around with them to protect their rights.
oh, well…guess we can’t right all of the wrongs by nurturing and loving our children enough to give them the food that GOD AND NATURE intended for them.
Whatever. Unless these protesters’ babies are miraculously on the same feeding schedule, it looks like they’ll be shoving their boob into a baby’s mouth just to make a point from noon to 2.
What if your kid’s not hungry? Do you just leave the booby out to show Applebee’s that they CAN’T MAKE YOU cover it?
Complain to the manager’s boss, write a mass e-mail to corporate, blog the hell out of it or — even better — BOYCOTT it like your apparent role model Rosa Parks.
They’ve already said they have NO POLICY AGAINST BREASTFEEDING. This one restaurant screwed up, so you have to take on the WHOLE NATION’S chain of Applebee’s?
Maybe these boobslingers should check out a few pictures of women and children in Darfur before they leave for Applebee’s and maybe they’ll find some better way to focus their anger and free time. Your life is NOT THAT BAD, you bored, suburban fools.
Really, what’s the difference between carrying a copy of the nursing mothers’ law and carrying your license when you drive? Both show proof that you are legally allowed to do so, right? There are too many ignorant people out there (including police officers) that think breastfeeding is the same as flashing– it’s a great idea to have backup, just in case.
I breastfed my children, occasionally in public, and believe me, I was about as discreet as anyone could possibly be, but I can’t tell you the number of people who would crane their necks to get a peek, and then give *me* a dirty look when I’d catch them. These people are the ones looking for trouble, in my opinion. This article mentions that the woman specifically asked for a back booth and faced the corner when she breastfed– sounds to me like anyone who was offended had to go to an awful lot of trouble to get that way.
She just happened to have a copy of the law protecting her rights. Its people like that who make me feel oh so unprepared for life. Do we celebrate our anniversary without our spouse now? No blanket? Rosa freaking Parks? I must see a picture of this woman!
The woman carries a copy of the 2006 law concerning breastfeeding but doesn’t have anything to cover herself for modesty’s sake. Sounds like she was looking for a confrontation. I am all for breastfeeding, but lets be reasonable…cover yourself, be discreet and respectful of others, and use it as a time to nourish and bond with your child…not as means to a potential lawsuit.
Please tell me you were being sarcastic in saying that this woman was "looking for trouble". She sat in a back booth and was simply trying to FEED HER CHILD. You were joking about the slinging of the mammaries, right? If the law protects a woman’s right to breastfeed, and this woman was denied that right, then perhaps Applebee’s needs the bad press of a protest.
“Some women think it’s fine to cover up with a blanket, but a woman shouldn’t be forced to,” said her husband, Michael Ryan. ….
With logic like this how did he not convince his wife to have the anniversary dinner at Hooters instead of Applebee’s?
Wow… how exactly was she "looking for trouble?!?"
For some reason, that Rosa Parks comment bugs the hell out of me. I just don’t see Applebee’s turning the firehoses and dogs on a bunch of breastfeeders, denying them the right to vote or lynching them. The last time this happened in Asheville, at Victoria’s Secret, the whole "protest" was, yes, a bust. They came, they breastfed and no one gave a damn. Which is the way it should be.
Applebee’s for an anniversary?
The real problem is that our culture is so uptight that we consider breastfeeding a quasi-sexual act: I see boobies, therefore it must be sexual. I would think in a conservative state like Kentucky that the general public would be all about the children.