Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Last week, a fascinating controversy erupted that is worth mulling over. According to an article in The Huffington Post, an American University professor, finding herself in a child-care jam because her baby was sick, took the baby to class, let the baby crawl around while she lectured, and then started breastfeeding when the baby got hungry. Evidently this act was hugely controversial.
Now we must admit that if there was a reasonable threat that the child was spreading disease, or if the professor was somehow unable to present the material because of the child, perhaps she should have made other arrangements. On the other hand, with regard to the latter concern, cancelling class would surely have disrupted presentation of the material more than lecturing with a fussy child. When one reviews internet comments on the incident, it becomes evident that many people have a visceral, negative reaction to what the professor did—despite the absence of any allegation that she failed to do her job adequately in teaching class that day. Apparently, many people take the view that her choice was per se unprofessional. The interesting question is, why?
Let me hazard a hypothesis: as a society, we are deeply uncomfortable with women in public. Hold on, you might say, what about feminism? What about the Nineteenth Amendment, what about civil rights law, etc.? I repeat my hypothesis, and now let me extend it: we have no problem with honorary men, i.e., pants-wearing persons with two X chromosomes, in public. What really bothers us is when a person with two X chromosomes engages in exclusively feminine activity like breastfeeding, while on the job—irrespective of whether the breastfeeding meaningfully disrupts what is going on in the workplace. In other words, we don’t like it when a woman combines traditional and modern roles.
If you are skeptical, let me offer some evidence. The two female politicians who received the most scathing criticism of late were Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Both combined traditional and modern roles—Hillary Clinton by touting her professional background as a prospective first lady, and then running for the senate after being first lady, and Sarah Palin by having a child in office. By contrast, female politicians appearing solely in their modern, professional capacity (Barbara Boxer, Michelle Bachman); or political wives whom we associate almost exclusively with a traditional role (Laura Bush, Michelle Obama), do not find themselves on the receiving end of anything close the same negative attention. Controversy also swirled around former Massachusetts Acting Governor Jane Swift when she had children in office.
My point is not to endorse either Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin (personally I am not a fan of progressive politics, on the one hand, or reality TV, on the other). Nor am I trying to editorialize on a right to breastfeed in the workplace. I just find the visceral negative reaction fascinating. It could be that there is good reason for our discomfort with the combination of traditional and modern roles on the part of women. There is nothing illegitimate about concern for the needs of children. Most of people, however, generally consider it appropriate to leave judgments about the needs of children to the children’s parents. And frankly, the ire over the professor bringing her baby to class is absurd.
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Comments:
Dec '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Some people will be offended unless all breastfeeding is kept out of sight and out of mind. I don't think government is equipped to established offense free zones. What's next, making rules that prevent us from offending radical Islam?
Jun '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I think it's like trimming your toenails. It's a fine thing to do, but I don't want to see it.
Mar '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Misthiocracy
Mendel:
I know lots of liberals who find public breastfeeding in public acceptable, and plenty of conservatives who do as well. Not every issue can be neatly split up into left v right camps.
Breastfeedingin public? I have no problem with that, at all.
However, the question was about breastfeedingat work. In that case, atsomepoint there would be a limit to my patience.
I think that's where you might find a liberal/conservative divide. Even the most tolerant conservative would probably say that an employer is allowed to setsomelimits. A liberal, on the other hand, would go to the barricades.
I'm not sure.
I think liberals themselves are divided on these types of issues: there are some feminists who would object to breastfeeding at work because they have a knee-jerk reaction against motherhood, while other feminists would promote it because they have a knee-jerk reaction against anything that might prevent women from having it all.
Aug '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Joseph Eagar
Why do some guys obsess over breasts so much?
For the same reason I obsess over $100,000 sports cars ... because I don't own any.
Oct '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
The King Prawn
Some people will be offended unless all breastfeeding is kept out of sight and out of mind. I don't think government is equipped to established offense free zones. What's next, making rules that prevent us from offending radical Islam? · 8 minutes ago
I didn't mean the government should make these codes; civil society should.
Mar '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
The King Prawn
Some people will be offended unless all breastfeeding is kept out of sight and out of mind. I don't think government is equipped to established offense free zones. What's next, making rules that prevent us from offending radical Islam? · 3 minutes ago
The public breastfeeding craze... especially the militant advocates of it... was just one more part of the 60's and 70's war against good , long established social order. For many women, it's self indulgent, self-righteous activism, simply one more effort to throw off the chains of the oppressive white male and his culture. Breastfeeding may be good for babies, but have some tact, and either use a pump and put it in bottles, or arrange to do it in a non-public space. If you can't do this, and the child has to be fed, at least try to be discrete and use a baby blanket.
May '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I think it IS unprofessional, or at least tasteless. My wife breastfeeds, and obviously I have no problem with that. She goes home to do it, because it is convenient (we live in a smaller town). When she pumps at work, she has a separate room as accommodation.
I am in no way offended at the sight of a mother breastfeeding. I just think there are certain things that are appropriate to do at home and other things to do in public. I don't like PDA, either, and I'm in no way offended by people kissing.
(sorry if all that was covered. I did not read any of the comments!)
Nov '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
It used to be widely common and accepted a couple of decades ago. The two seem to go together, the more common, the more accepted.
Now its less common so more people find it weird or even disgusting.
Nov '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Joseph Eagar
The King Prawn
Some people will be offended unless all breastfeeding is kept out of sight and out of mind. I don't think government is equipped to established offense free zones. What's next, making rules that prevent us from offending radical Islam? · 8 minutes ago
I didn't mean the government should make these codes; civil society should. · 2 minutes ago
Thank you for clarifying that.
Dec '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Joseph Eagar
Why do some guys obsess over breasts so much?
I think this is the nub of the issue. Some people view breasts as inherently sexual even (or especially) when they are being employed for the purpose of feeding babies. The offense seems, at least to me, to center on what some consider to be overt displays of sexuality in public. If it was about feeding they would be just as offended by bottles.
Apr '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
The child doesn't belong in the classroom. Period. And if it then cries for food, apparently it interrupts. It is not professional, period.
And to assume that it a totally natural fact that no-one should object to misses the point.
May '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Misthiocracy
Joseph Eagar
Why do some guys obsess over breasts so much?
For the same reason I obsess over $100,000 sports cars ... because I don't own any. · 3 minutes ago
And because they're awesome. My wife has 2, and 8 years of marriage has not made me any less obsessed. It's just hard-wired, I guess.
Dec '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Joseph Eagar
The King Prawn
Some people will be offended unless all breastfeeding is kept out of sight and out of mind. I don't think government is equipped to established offense free zones. What's next, making rules that prevent us from offending radical Islam? · 8 minutes ago
I didn't mean the government should make these codes; civil society should. · 4 minutes ago
We've obviously not been able to do that since this sort of thing still makes the news.
Feb '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Good morning, class. I have a bit of diarrhea but I know you have finals coming up, so I don't want to disrupt things by cancelling class.
So I brought this chamber pot...
Nov '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Joseph Eagar
Why do some guys obsess over breasts so much? Males in my family tend to be attracted to motherly qualities as much as sexual ones. [snipped for word limit]
I've always wondered if people like us are rare, or if perverted men are just louder and more obnoxious and get more of the attention. Although, this may be related to how some of us are bisexual, so I suppose maybe we are rare. Still, it's not bad to want a woman who will be a good mother.
To quote the comedian Dave Attell "Men like breasts, that's just the way it is."
Tastes fluctuate over time, among groups and among individuals. There is an evolutionary component to male attraction to breasts and hips. There are certain things male humans are hard wired to be attracted to for evolutionary purposes, certain characteristics make a woman appear to be a good mate. So sexual characteristics and motherly qualities are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
As far as the louder and more obnoxious men, coarseness seems to draw attention more easily than higher level discourse. Its not just restricted to sexual attraction.
Apr '12
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Misthiocracy is right that employers should be able to set limits on children's presence in the workplace, simply because they are disruptive. It's great to accommodate families as much as you reasonably can, but you also need to get work done. But for NC I say again that while I agree with your general principles, I just don't think it's reasonable or natural to be disgusted (as Mark apparently is) by breast feeding. And the accommodation of those who are is a genuine burden on mothers and their infants. I just think this is a case where the needs of mothers and babies trump the feelings of the squeamish public.
Nov '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Israel Pickholtz: Good morning, class. I have a bit of diarrhea but I know you have finals coming up, so I don't want to disrupt things by cancelling class.
So I brought this chamber pot... · 1 minute ago
Well put.
Dec '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Misthiocracy
L.T. Rahe:
Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
It is when I do. At least, that's what the judge said. · 2 hours ago
You are sick perverted and childish. Also, you beat me to it.
Aug '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Ryan M
Misthiocracy
Joseph Eagar
Why do some guys obsess over breasts so much?
For the same reason I obsess over $100,000 sports cars ... because I don't own any.
And because they're awesome. My wife has 2, and 8 years of marriage has not made me any less obsessed. It's just hard-wired, I guess.
At the risk of straying even further off-topic, there's a theory in evolutionary psychology that breasts on female humans were an adaptation which promoted emotional attachment and commitment between couples.
The argument goes like this:
It's just a theory...
Aug '12
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Would it be rude to watch (closely?) when a woman is breast feeding in public? It shouldn't be, should it? And yet I have this nagging fear that the woman in question might object. But if it is appropriate public behavior, I don't see why paying attention to it would be offensive.