Nurse-in at Hirshhorn on 2/12 from 10-12

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if he was actually concerned about food or drink being near the artwork. After all, BF-ing can be messy, and it is their job to protect the paintings from being ruined.

Just another perspective- I THINK I know the area where the woman was sitting, and I think there is still artwork.

That said, the guard could have directed her to the cafe or a bench not located near artwork. But come on, we're talking about rent-a-cops here - let the museum management respond first.

If you were so messy while breastfeeding that milk was flying around and ruining artwork, I can, with confidence, say that you were definitely doing something wrong.

[Anonymous]

Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support the security guard's actions if the woman was not covered. It is pretty disguisting to watch a woman stick her boob out and nurse in public. I nursed DS for a year and always covered myself in public. I would feel very uncomfortable if I was out with DS and had to explain to him what breastfeeding was. However if the women did not try to indecently expose herself then she has every right to be livid at the museum

How did you nurse if you are so disgusted by it?

I nursed but was very considerate of my surroundings when I did so in public. I as an adult can choose to look away but I cannot get my grade school son to immediately look away. And yes I will be having a second child soon and will be nursing him or her with a cover on if my son with me. DH and I will decide when we are ready to have that birds and bees talk with our children, not some nursing mother who is too disguisting to cover herself up when she nurses in public. And yes I am pro breastfeeding and did not give my son formula for an entire year

Breastfeeding is not sex...it's just eating. People who are just feeding their kid are not "disgusting."

Good luck hiding the breastfeeding from your son...I'm sure that's going to work out really well. When he sees your boob, make sure that you explain to him that you are disgusting, so he can grow up to be well-adjusted and respectful towards women. :-p

15:47 here. Do you have a crystal ball and somehow think my DS will accidently see my breast? Well I have news for you. I was 12 when my sister was born and 15 when my brother was born and my mother nursed both of them for a year. Never once did I see my mother's breast. I saw her breastfeeding but she had a shawl covering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

Actually we do--the breastfeeding mother's full name, Norika Aita, was included in the first post to this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

Actually we do--the breastfeeding mother's full name, Norika Aita, was included in the first post to this thread.

And for that matter, the original poster included her full name, Susan Reed, and the name of the woman organizing the nurse-in, LJ Pelham, and both of their email addresses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

Actually we do--the breastfeeding mother's full name, Norika Aita, was included in the first post to this thread.

Do we know if she contacted the Hirrshorn (or even someone acting as her advocate?) What their response was? This is really important information. . .

[Anonymous]

Ok 15:47 you keep those boobs to yourself. I can see that the booby fear was instilled in you early on, so I guess there's no reasoning with you.

I'm guessing that given how much boobs disgust you, you and your son don't go to art museums anyway.

Just curious, are you also so disgusted by moobs that you can't go to public pools? Are you afraid that if your son sees moobs that you have to have the sex talk with him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

Actually we do--the breastfeeding mother's full name, Norika Aita, was included in the first post to this thread.

And for that matter, the original poster included her full name, Susan Reed, and the name of the woman organizing the nurse-in, LJ Pelham, and both of their email addresses.

But we have no idea what happened AFTER Norika left. My point is this. . .I think it was horrible what happened, and fully support any woman's right to breastfeed whenever and wherever they want. I do.

That said, we might have a situation here where Hirsshorn management also believes and supports these rights, and it was simply a lack of training and awareness on the part of the secruity guards. Does that warrant a nurse-in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

Actually we do--the breastfeeding mother's full name, Norika Aita, was included in the first post to this thread.

And for that matter, the original poster included her full name, Susan Reed, and the name of the woman organizing the nurse-in, LJ Pelham, and both of their email addresses.

But we have no idea what happened AFTER Norika left. My point is this. . .I think it was horrible what happened, and fully support any woman's right to breastfeed whenever and wherever they want. I do.

That said, we might have a situation here where Hirsshorn management also believes and supports these rights, and it was simply a lack of training and awareness on the part of the secruity guards. Does that warrant a nurse-in?

The OP stated early in the thread that her friend submitted a complaint to HH but had not received a response yet. Another poster also said they forwarded to several highly-placed HH staffers they knew, but hasn't posted back with an update.

I do agree that it's important that the facts are verified and that HH is given an opportunity to respond, but I wish people would actually read this thread before questioning these things, because its all here, pretty clearly. This does not appear to be a fake incident, and HH HAS been notified and has not yet given a public response. The nurse-in is scheduled for two weeks after the incident, which I feel gives HH plenty of time to respond and forestall the protest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before staging a massive nurse-in, with it's own facebook page and tons of outreach, shouldn't we verify the facts? I am in NO way saying that I don't believe the story, just that it would be prudent to know for sure all of the details. As someone else suggested, we don't even know the last name of the breastfeeding mother.

And most significantly, what has SI's response been? How have they handled it?

Questioning is OK but this is the ideal situation where such manifestations should occur.

If out of the blue a bunch of women start nursing in public it won't cause as much awareness as if they all congregate to explain why they're there and elaborate about the situation that several women have faced before and didn't know how to defend themselves.

We have rights, very few of us know about them and we should not be ashamed of supporting each other.

[Anonymous]

They don't care about the museum having a chance to respond -- what if they respond adequately before the PPs have their 'nurse-in'?? Then they will have lost their chance!!! Shoot!

[Anonymous]

[e-mail] wrote:My friend did put a complaint to the Smithsonian but I don't know if they've responded.

To the PP who suggested we read the thread first, I did. Read above. "Not knowing" if the museum has responded is VERY different than saying they haven't responded. It reveals the organizer as not having all of the facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if he was actually concerned about food or drink being near the artwork. After all, BF-ing can be messy, and it is their job to protect the paintings from being ruined.

Just another perspective- I THINK I know the area where the woman was sitting, and I think there is still artwork.

That said, the guard could have directed her to the cafe or a bench not located near artwork. But come on, we're talking about rent-a-cops here - let the museum management respond first.

If you were so messy while breastfeeding that milk was flying around and ruining artwork, I can, with confidence, say that you were definitely doing something wrong.

AMAZING!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

[e-mail] wrote:My friend did put a complaint to the Smithsonian but I don't know if they've responded.

To the PP who suggested we read the thread first, I did. Read above. "Not knowing" if the museum has responded is VERY different than saying they haven't responded. It reveals the organizer as not having all of the facts.

I'm the one who started the FB page and I'm not the same person who started this thread.

I'm keeping FB updated based on what I read here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

[e-mail] wrote:My friend did put a complaint to the Smithsonian but I don't know if they've responded.

To the PP who suggested we read the thread first, I did. Read above. "Not knowing" if the museum has responded is VERY different than saying they haven't responded. It reveals the organizer as not having all of the facts.

Plus the other PP who said she had contacts who had worked there for 15 years JUST EMAILED THEM THIS AFTERNOON. Of course she has not heard back yet.