ACLU Vs. Toys R Us Over Public Breastfeeding
Posted on September 16, 2006
I am not going to codemn the ACLU on this one quite yet. Right now it looks like a “he said, she said” kind of thing. However, I will point out that the ACLU do have a history of distorting the facts.
Via NY Sun
The New York Civil Liberties Union claims that Toys “R” Us employees harassed a shopper who was breastfeeding her infant this week at the 42nd Street store.
In a letter sent to company headquarters in Wayne, N.J., yesterday, a lawyer with the NYCLU claims the company violated the state’s basic civil rights law and demanded a public apology and compensation for the mother.
A lawsuit could follow if the demands are not met, the lawyer, Elisabeth Benjamin, said, in an interview yesterday.
The NYCLU claims that when the mother, Chelsi Meyerson of Brooklyn, began to breastfeed, five different saleswomen confronted her, according to the letter. At least one saleswoman told Ms. Meyerson that breastfeeding on the store floor was “inappropriate” because of all the nearby children, the letter stated.
If the ACLU’s claims are true I still think it is a valid point that popping your boob out in a store full of children might be a little shocking to some of the kids that don’t understand. Nevertheless, concerned parents can easily explain this natural practice to their children.
However, even in the ACLU’s own press release they threaten to sue for “compensation”.
In a letter to the company sent today, the NYCLU sought a meeting with Toys “R” Us officials; an apology; appropriate compensation for Meyerson; and a written guarantee that Toys “R” Us would permit breastfeeding in its stores and would train its staff about the policy.
Galen Sherwin, Staff Attorney for the NYCLU Reproductive Rights Project, added: “This is about public health, not public morality.”
Compensation for what??? Because this woman was offended? Have we really come to that? Public health? The woman was not forced to leave the store or to stop nursing. How was she damaged to the point of compensation? And all of this is only if the facts have not been distorted by the ACLU. As in every story, there is more than one side.
In a statement sent via e-mail, a spokeswoman for company disputed the NYCLU’s account of the incident and wrote that Toys “R” Us had a “commitment to nursing moms.”
The spokeswoman, Lisa Lewin, wrote that nobody ordered Ms. Meyerson around.
“Ms. Meyerson, who was breastfeeding on the selling floor, was in fact, asked by store associates if she would be more comfortable in a private environment,” Ms. Lewin wrote. “When she said no, store associates left her to continue breastfeeding without interruption.”
Many Toys “R” Us stores — including the 42nd Street one — have private nursing areas, Ms. Lewin wrote.
The Blog Imperfect Parent is on the same page with me.
If what TRU is claiming to be true, that she was simply asked if she would feel more comfortable in a more isolated location (which I know some breastfeeding women would be), is that an actionable offense? Perhaps many associates asked, just like how you get asked by 5 salespeople if they can help you, but so what? One associate may not know that somebody has already approached them. It happens all the time.
If Toys R Us is telling the truth then I don’t see how this was unreasonable or violated anyone’s rights. I think many women would be more comfortable breastfeeding in a more private area, and to simply offer that option seems like a kind gesture to me. Hopefully this will be worked out without having to go to court, but regardless of which side is telling the truth I don’t see why it needs to be taken to the point of demanding compensation. Training and education on the issue is reasonable, but sueing for compensation because a few employees offended the sensitivities of an individual is going a bit far in my opinion. We’ll just wait and see how this one pans out. I just thought it was an interesting story.
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7 Responses to “ACLU Vs. Toys R Us Over Public Breastfeeding”
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It’s ironic that a store that sells lots of baby items would be upset that a woman was in the store feeding her baby. I hope she never buys anything there again.
If that is the truth of the matter, I agree.
You should have saved yourself some work and simply linked over to our blog instead.
I know the mother in question. Not only was she harassed by five store associates, but one called security on her.
Treatment like that discourages many women from breastfeeding. Given the numerous well documented health benefits of breastfeeding, yes, it is a public health issue.
Well, if she was harrassed then we have a rare case in which I agree with the ACLU. I still don’t think she should receive any kind of money over this, but Toys R’ Us should defintely educate its employees.
It sounds like I agree with the ACLU on this one also. That is a very scary situation.
I see nothing obscene about a mother breastfeeding her child though I assume the mother in question was discreet as is usually the case. The lawsuit brings the issue into the public view.
oh…and issue an apology. I don’t think that is an unreasonable request at all.