Georgia Woman Likened to a Stripper, Booted from Church for Breastfeeding (VIDEO)
A Georgia woman says she was asked to not return to her church after breastfeeding her baby during a service
Nirvana Jennette was nursing her baby in church recently when she was asked to “cover up and go away” and move to the bathroom, according to LilSugar.com (via WSAV.com).
“I was going to church — it was a biker church of all places, and I thought we would be accepted,” she said.
According to the law in Georgia, which states, “A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location where she and the baby are authorized to be,” she should have been accepted.
To make matters worse, not only was she asked to leave church, but someone called her a “stripper” because she was breastfeeding, she says.
Nirvana says she tried speaking up.
“I tried many times to educate and talk to them, and let them know we are not second class citizens,” she said, according to WSAV.com. “We deserve to be with everybody. It got heated he compared me to a stripper. I get upset just talking about it. He compared me to a stripper, and said breastfeeding is lude and should be covered up and put away.”
She was asked not to return to church.
Nirvana’s story has attracted attention from other breastfeeding advocates, and she and her supporters are planning a nurse-in protest on Monday, March 5, at 1 p.m. in five locations across Georgia.
Is it utterly absurd that Nirvana was booted from church for breastfeeding, or is it possible that there are just some places where, while legal, it isn’t exactly appropriate to eat (for a baby or an adult)?
Image & Video: WSAV.com
I’m not sure a church is the best place for breast feeding (I think bottle feeding is just as iffy) but the reaction from the pastor(?) and congregation certainly sounds inappropriate.
@Meagan — I agree on both counts
http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2011/11/14/is-there-ever-a-place-where-it%E2%80%99s-inappropriate-to-breastfeed-one-judge-says-%E2%80%98yes%E2%80%99/
I nurse in the sanctuary at my church. The first did I did it, five different older women came over to tell me how pleased they were to see me breastfeeding, and that I had joined a long line of women who nursed during the service. I don’t see it as an issue-the baby has a right to eat, and I have a right to be a part of the service. This may be a cultural difference, it seems breastfeeding in public is far more accepted in Canada than in the US (and is a protected human right in Ontario, where I currently live) and I attend the United Church of Canada, which is a very liberal and woman-friendly church.
@Mary my first reaction is that church is not the place to feed a child, however you do it. But not being religious myself, I hadn’t really considered that this excludes the parents (or most likely, mother) of small infants from religious observance, which is a fair point.
@Meredith I think the court event was a little different- that woman had no choice about being there and apparently had no choice about her baby being there. No reason she should have to take extraordinary measures to feed the baby. Church strikes me as more like a library, no food or drink for a start. I’m sure you could get away with pulling out boob or bottle in a library, but it seems a little self absorbed? But as Mary so politely reminded me, I probably only consider church an optional activity because I’m a godless heathen.
I borne four children and nursed them all except in public arenas. That is why there are baby bottles. You can easily put your breast milk into a bottle. Why must everything in life today be demeaned and vulgarized?
Wow. If Jesus walked into my church I seriously doubt He would have a problem with my nursing.
I enjoy stories about Christians behaving badly (and this certainly qualifies). Since the law in Georgia states a woman can breastfeed anywhere she’s legally able to be, it doesn’t matter one whit if any of you think it’s inappropriate or unnecessary. Your opinions on the matter have been rendered insignificant, as they should be. I hope the church and asshat pastor are sanctioned in some way for breaking the law.
Linda is so right on this. Well said
Hey Mary Ellen, not every baby takes a bottle. My first would, (although only had to 3 times), and my second, I could put it in the bottle directly from my boob, DIRECTLY, and she refused. 9 different types of bottles. Seriously. And they shouldn’t have to anyway. THAT’S WHAT BOOBS ARE FOR.
What’s demeaning and vulgar about breastfeeding? The only people who have demeaned and vulgarized it are the people who insist on finding something dirty in it. I don’t recall reading about the breast pumps and bottles that Mary used when Jesus was born in the manger, so I have a hard time believing he would disapprove of someone feeding her child in a building devoted to him.
I find it hilarious that many modern Christians would find beautiful Renaissance paintings of Mary breastfeeding Jesus to be vulgar and offensive. Get over it, you weirdos – it takes a truly perverted mind to consider breastfeeding to be anything other than a normal and natural way to feed a baby, permissible anywhere and everywhere that babies are hungry.