UK’s New Equality Bill!
Did I ever tell you that I used to live in England? My father was stationed there in the Air Force when I was a wee lass. I moved back here at 5 and for a while I was the cool 1st grader (you heard me, ADVANCED because of the superior British kindergarten!) with the british accent. I would have been HOT if it hadn’t worn off by 2nd grade, and now I have not one ounce of mimicry ability. I can’t sound british even when I try, and hey, my English ain’t so hot either ;oP
Something about those formative years has made me an anglophile though (A few of my British fans have written to me over the years and they’re answered with “Hey, can I come visit you?” so be careful lest you gain a houseguest!), and I’ve been back to visit twice. Once, to celebrate my graduation from college I went on a all-by-myself galavant around England and Scotland in search of all things Mary Queen of Scots (dreaming of writing that screen play) for a month. The second time I convinced my dearest Husband to go there on our honeymoon, staying in youth hostels, in December! It was fabulous, 43 pubs in 21 days. Ah, England! Near and dear to my heart.
But now this Legislation Against Love… (thanks Anna!) And there’s a petition (alas, only UK citizens can sign ;o( and there’s a RALLY planned Calling All Lactivists! (I already checked plane tickets, boo hoo $850 round trip from LAX. Sigh. I’ll just have to be with you in spirit.) Anyway I hope you guys have a fabulous rally, let me know if there is anything I can do from way over here and more comics on the way!
Love,
Heather
angelofthenorth said,
July 9, 2008 @ 11:06 pm
Hmmm, not how it’s being presented over here. What I’ve been hearing is that it isn’t illegal to breastfeed at all, but this is additional protection for those with babies under 6 months (which makes up the majority of those breastfeeding due to the way our maternity policy works). That is the smallest and most vulnerable of the smallest and most vulnerable.
We have a legislative logjam at the moment, and the “under 6 months” ties in with existing sex discrimination legislation and maternity issues, which is why it’s under the equalities bill. If you did a separate bill, it would be several years in the pipeline and would probably be talked down by the Tories, because it isn’t a priority for legislative time.
BTW, there was a documentary on Channel 5 about Freebirthing last night (didn’t see it) and saw an interesting discussion between an OB and a freebirther. The OB said “for preference, it would be a midwife-led birth centre, no inverventions, but with the options for emergency care”.
Like Amy Tuteur she talks about the “high wastage” in pregnancy and birth - that not all babies were intended to survive by Mother Nature, and also that sometimes the instinct to preserve a baby’s life doesn’t kick in. She was also incredibly honest about the fact that there are a lot of OBs and midwives who don’t work with women’s instincts during labour, and that this wasn’t best practice, and she could see why women would want to freebirth. She talked about keeping the best of both worlds - the advances in medicine alongside the need for freedom to make choices and the duty to work with the mother. She has a low caesarian/intervention rate (this was discussed at one point).
mamaluxe said,
July 10, 2008 @ 5:50 am
My understanding is that women can currently be arrested and cited under indecency laws in England…and that there has been a rash of people being thrown out of restaurants and cafes…although it is not technically illegal to breastfeed in public, it is perfectly legal to toss out the mom and baby if the owner wishes and some women have even been prosecuted, though it rarely gets to that. Just like bfeeding in public is not illegal in US states that have not specifically enshrined that protection in law, but it puts mom in an awkward legal limbo.
This UK law makes it illegal to discriminate against mother and baby in this way, but only up until 6 mos, which as the previous commenter points out, has to do with existing UK law (something about the definition of maternity).
HOWEVER, I don’t quite buy all the excuses from the government. Log jams can be loosened if politicians fear for their jobs.
It is high time that all nations recognize the right of a mother to breastfeed a child (with no restriction) in any place she has a right to be. Period. End.
I would expect England to be far more civilized (civilised) about this issue and am surprised things have gone on so long in their current state.
Anna said,
July 10, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
I don’t buy the excuses either, and I’ll tell you why…
They keep changing their minds!
I have been in contact with policy officials, politicians, NCT and other groups since the news broke about the Equality Bill and I can tell you, nobody really seems to know what’s going on.
At first the line I got was that the age limit was under discussion, not a definite at all. Then, I had a written response that said we’re protected under sex discrimination law.
And then . . . I found out we’re not! As pointed out above that only applies up to 6 months. That gave me zero confidence. Yes, I’ve been told not to worry, it’s just a ‘technical issue’ and nobody will really be prosecuted for indecency BUT nobody has publicly spoken out to say that we’re ‘safe’ yet as far as I know.
And, as for it having to tie in with maternity – I just don’t understand it. I have been asking for a simple explanation but officials don’t speak English. And … maybe someone can help me out here … wasn’t the definition of maternity extended to 9 months last year anyway????
Discrimination against breastfeeding mothers is very real and the British Government knows that, otherwise why would there be a need to legislate about it again? This anti-discrimination law that discriminates is just going to make things worse. It sends out the message it’s OK to stop older babies feeding and perpetuates the myth they don’t really need it. ALL babies need to be protected. Everywhere!
So thank you Hathor for publicising this and I’ll definitely be one of the lovely lactivists in Parliament Square next Friday. Hope to meet more readers of this blog there
Anna x
julie said,
July 10, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
Here in Michigan (all states are different) there is a law that says that bf’ing is not indecent exposure. That’s all it says, so while we won’t get arrested for breastfeeding any child, we can get interrupted or asked to leave or whatever. That’s not enough. I want it to be illegal to interfere with breastfeeding.
In my opinion, 6 months is random and stupid. Maternity laws and common trends are irrelevant. There’s no need to put that age in there. How does breastfeeding suddenly become inappropriate at 7 months? I nursed my daughter for over three years. I’ll admit I stopped nursing her in public at some point in order to protect her from other people’s opinions (like the word “still,” facial expressions, etc. - nothing harsh ever happened).. and to a small degree for other’s comfort (I know I know, but there are just some situations in which I’m not in teaching mode - not worth nursing a preschooler in front of her great aunt on my husband’s side, ya know?) and also so that she would get used to alternatives (drink of water, a hug).. But not before her first birthday! My child was potty trained and speaking full sentences before she stopped nursing in public.
Look at it this way: Folks (like me) have their opinions about older toddlers walking around with bottles in their mouths.. but certainly no one would think to legislate an age at which they no longer have a right to do that. That’s up to the family. To have no law regarding it would be better, right? As opposed to saying that only until they are 1 are they protected from harassment about it.
I understand that the law is not criminalizing breastfeeding past 6 months, but the fact that we need to point out that it ISN’T means that there’s something wrong with the spirit of the law, the paradigm. Like it is here in MI: no it’s not ILLEGAL to feed your child in public. Just the fact that we feel the need to say that says there is a problem Instead of “you have the right,” we say, “you won’t get arrested.” There is something wrong with that.
wiffersnapper said,
July 11, 2008 @ 6:59 am
Unbelievable. Just crazy- some people just seem to have this need to meddle in other people’s lives. The age at which one weans one’s child is a decision to be made between the mother, father, and child, not any outside agency.
This kinda goes along with the homebirth thing, too. People who choose to nurse past six months know the benefits/risks (are there any?) and are taking on that responsibility. People who choose to have their babies at home do the same thing. As do people who choose not to wear a seatbelt in a car, or a helmet on a motorcycle, or to homeschool, or to grow their own produce. One of those things about being people is our ability to make choices, whether others agree with the smart-ness of them or not.
They have a word for a society where the government controls your every move- communism!
mamaof5 said,
July 11, 2008 @ 9:47 am
No Papers:
That is funny! lol i am also wondering how on earth you are to “prove” your child is 6 months old or younger. all of my babies have looked big and still been young. my friends 18 month old is so tiny she looks maybe a year old, yet my 14 month old looks older. are they seriously wanting BC carried around?? lol
heather in tucson
wiffersnapper said,
July 11, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
On the other hand, my preemie baby, who is still undersized, could breastfeed forever and be okay!
moogyboobles said,
July 12, 2008 @ 9:32 am
It is rather absurd isn’t it? It’s as if they think past 6 months babies suddently have sexual feelings about breasts! I’ve written to my MP many times, I always get fobbed off.
Saying that though I have 5 years of breastfeeding under my belt and yet to have anyone criticise me when feeding in public, even when they are a chatty 2 year olds asking for “mil peas”.
missykai said,
July 13, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
as a wee bit of info, scotland already has legislation protecting a baby’s right to breastfeed in public up to the age of 2 years. in practice all it means is that if some meanie tries to make you leave or asks you to stop feeding you have the right to sue them because they acted against the legislation. it doesn’t mean you can call the police to protect your/your baby’s right :o( i’d imagine the proposed bill for the rest of the uk will work in the same way (assuming it doesn’t supercede what we already have in scotland & cause conflict between the 2 age limits - more confusion). it shouldn’t have any legislative impact on breastfeeding older babies and children in public at all.
i’ve bf my 3 kiddies for 4-5 years each, often in public, in scotland, england & ireland & never had any negative comment. i know those who have been approached by grumpy cafe staff & the like, but the suggestion that someone could actually be arrested for breastfeeding in public just sounds absurd. & with our tabloid press, i can’t believe had such a thing ever occured that it would go unreported ;o)
wesleysmama said,
July 14, 2008 @ 3:29 pm
I just found you! This is such a cool site!
I feel almost ashamed. Here in good old redneck Indiana, the law protects the rights of breastfeeding mothers, with no written (but an assumed) age restriction. It is assumed that breastfeeding will stop at 1 year, but since there is no specific language as such, no action can be taken against a mother and child.
When I was breastfeeding, I carried around a card in my wallet that stated the law verbatim and explained my rights, including not being asked to stop or being thrown out. I got it from my lactation consultant. I now direct women to her office to get one of those. Yes, in a perfect world we would not need them, but at least we have the protection for this one.
Good luck, lactivists!
Julinda said,
July 15, 2008 @ 4:26 am
wesleysmama - Hey, I’m in Indiana also! I was glad when they passed a BF law a few years ago but I wish it was stronger. It says a mother may breastfeed her child anywhere the woman has a right to be. I remember when they were creating the law some wanted to put an age limit - I heard 3 years mentioned - but fortunately that didn’t happen.
Here’s a link that has the U.S. state laws:
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm
Ooh, I just checked it and learned they have passed a law requiring state/local govt. and employers w/more than 25 people to provide a pumping location. Don’t know if it applies to my job as I work for the fed govt., but I hope it will help a lot of people.
Julinda said,
July 15, 2008 @ 4:41 am
I’m glad this came up because I just realized that on the site I posted in my previous comment that they misquoted the Indiana law - they said it “allows a woman to breastfeed her infant anywhere that the law allows her to be,” but the law actually says “child” rather than “infant.” An extremely important distinction! I don’t know if there’s a legal definition of “infant” but usually that term refers to a child under a year old. I sent them an email pointing out the error.
MilkyMama07 said,
July 15, 2008 @ 7:40 am
That’s just terrible. I’m a bit of an Anglophile myself, LOL! I’ve always wanted to go to England, I wanted to move there when I was younger. I dreamt of turning 18 and moving to England. LOL, obviously it never happened! But this kind of crushes any desire to go there. I don’t want to end up persecuted for breastfeeding my 18 month old! That’s insane! And did you know, Tennessee law only protects breastfeeding in public up to 12 months? After that, it’s not technically illegal, but it’s not illegal for you to get thrown out either. Just one of the multitude of reasons I will NEVER live in Tennessee.
msrlmoss said,
July 16, 2008 @ 1:20 am
Please, please, please, please, please everyone can you read this:
http://thedevilsalternatives.blogspot.com/2008/07/breastfeeding-is-not-illegal.html
which explains the new equality bill and the confusion surrounding it.
Breastfeeding in public has not “been made indecent after six months”; it has never been an arrestable offence, has never been indecent, has ALWAYS BEEN LEGAL. The new bill was designed to bring *additional* protection to mothers *on maternity leave*, actually making it *illegal* to harrass them for breastfeeding. Of course, the UK government’s “ooh let’s compromise on everything and try to keep everyone happy and end up making no one happy” stance reduced this additional protection to a paltry six months (even though full maternity leave is a year; now nine months paid a pittance and three months unpaid - so where the six months came from I don’t know), after which the *additional* protection ends… but the fact that breastfeeding is still LEGAL and not indecent does NOT end here.
Unfortunately it was misinterpreted by one national newspaper article and then everyone jumped on the bandwagon with articles left right and centre about how breastfeeding was now illegal or indecent after six months.
However, this “breastfeeding in public illegal / indecent after six months” meme is dangerous. Because if lactivists start believing it and spreading it, how long before the general public start believing it too and more women actually *do* start getting hassled for breastfeeding an older baby / toddler / child in public?
The protests / nurse-ins / picnics that are being staged are *not* there to protest against breastfeeding being illegal / indecent. It never has been, never (please god!) will be. They are there to protest that the law will only provide the *additional* protection to babies under six months, even though originally it was going to be a year, and in Scotland it is two years. They are there to try and persuade the government that the *additional* protection should not be dependant on a child’s age.
Yes, you’re right, six months is ridiculous for this *additional* protection but please, please, can we lose this meme that breastfeeding in public beyond six months is now illegal and an arrestable offence in the UK? Because if we keep propagating it, how long before the police themselves start to believe it and it actually happens?
If you want to join in the protest there is actually a group on Facebook set up so you can join in from wherever you are, virtually. Search for “protect my baby, protect me” under facebook events and come and join in.
sourpatch_babe said,
July 24, 2008 @ 8:39 am
FYI: babies do become sex fiends as soon as they turn six months. I know from personal experience. My youngest boy is almost seven months old and he has in the past two weeks found his umn….boyparts. I can’t nurse him if he’s nakey now cuz he will go play with his boyparts as he’s nursing, lol. Just don’t let those crazies know about this or they’ll have more ammo against breastfeeding.