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April 22, 2009 in News
New Washington law: Breastfeeding is a civil right
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed into law House Bill 1596, which declares that the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in public places is a civil right protected by Washington’s anti-discrimination law.
“This new law will eliminate one more obstacle that women are faced with day in and day out,” said Rep. Tami Green, D-Lakewood. It takes effect in 90 days.
Washington is already one of at least 25 states that have passed laws explicitly declaring that breastfeeding or expressing breast milk does not constitute indecent exposure. In a move intended to prod businesses into making more accomodations for breastfeeding moms, the state also has a law allowing employers to say they’re “infant-friendly” if they allow flexible work schedules and clean facilities for moms.
The new law protects against discrimination by declaring that women can breastfeed a child “in any place of public resort, accomodation, assemblage or amusement.” That includes restaurants, hotels, motels, stores, malls, theaters, concert halls, parks, fairs, libraries, schools, hospitals and government offices.
Complaints would be investigated by the state Human Rights Commission. Based on results involving similar laws in Vermont and Hawaii, the commission estimates that it will field 4-5 complaints a year. It says that Washington has a high percentage of breastfeeding moms, particularly among immigrants and low-income women.
In House and Senate hearings, no one testified against the bill. But proponents said that women continue to be asked to leave public places while breastfeeding. Such hassles, they said, may contribute to a sharp dropoff in breastfeeding at 6 weeks and 6 months.
For more on this story, please see our state political blog: www.eyeonolympia.com.
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misjustice on April 22 at 2:21 p.m.
Is there an age limit for what a “child” is? Some mom’s want to breast feed until their child is almost 10 (it has happened). Where does it become crossing the line?
Don’t misunderstand me, I am for breastfeeding your babies. But when are they no longer babies & it constitutes something else? Was that factored into the law?
RK on April 22 at 3:13 p.m.
What about my rights as a citizen? What if I don’t want to watch a woman breastfeed in the bus seat next to me any more than I want to watch her change the child’s diaper? As usual the liberal mind set wins and those of us who want to just live in peace, mind our own business, are forced to accept people doing whatever they choose to in public with no say so. I don’t want to hear how breastfeeding is “natural” and “normal”, so is urinating but so far that’s still considered a private act by society.
terrymr on April 22 at 3:41 p.m.
What’s the matter RK ? mom didn’t breast feed you enough ?
Renata29 on April 22 at 8:07 p.m.
RK, how do you square your claim to what to “live in peace, mind our own business” with the complaint that people are breastfeeding in public?
If you were minding your own business, why would you “watch a woman someone breastfeed,” and further, how would you find it offensive if it is quite clearly not your business?
Speaking openly, breastfeeding makes me a bit squeamish as well, but that’s why I don’t watch people doing it. I am, truly, minding my own business.
I’m curious how the both of us don’t really want to watch breastfeeding, and yet we come to different conclusions on the merits of this measure.
Renata29 on April 22 at 8:11 p.m.
**sorry, the quote was: “watch a woman breastfeed”
AmicusCuriae on April 25 at 9:59 p.m.
Well, time for National Geographic to send their reporters to Washington to document this new “right,” and publicize it in their magazine like they used to do African women.
That’s what used to separate animals from civilized human beings (i.e. those who wore clothes as opposed to those who only wore G-strings) - the facts that humans would go into a separate room from the rest of the species to defecate, have sex, or breastfeed their child.
Now, they’re just like animals. From the sex to the defecating to the breastfeeding…if you’re in the middle of the street and you get the urge, just do it. And if you want to wear pants with your butt hanging out, why, that’s okay, too!
Of course when a 13-year old girl breastfeeds her newborn in h er classroom (can 13 year olds even produce milk?) the rest of the class will find that real educational.