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:
May '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Offended? No. A little weird an uncomfortable? Yes. Unprofessional? Yes. She should have a contigency plan for this situation. Maybe que up a video that is related to her lesson so she can feed her child for a few minutes.
Nov '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I think its the kind of rudeness that comes from violating the Golden Rule.
Why would you watch closely? Curiosity or sexual gratification? If it is the former and you explain it and ask politely, there might not be an objection.
If it is the latter, and you ask to watch and explain your reasons honestly, you may get slapped in the face.
Oct '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I think there are reasons quite other than her having adopted a traditional female role for the reaction to Hillary. And Sarah Palin. And Nancy Pelosi. Oh.
Aug '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
The King Prawn
Joseph Eagar
I didn't mean the government should make these codes; civil society should.
We've obviously not been able to do that since this sort of thing still makes the news.
This incident only made the news because the professor promoted the issue on her blog.
According to what I've read so far, prior to her own blog post there were no complaints, and at NO point was she ever reprimanded by the university.
According to what's been published, the incident was a non-issue until the professor made it an issue.
Civil society was working JUST FINE in this case, until the professor took offense that one measly student reporter had the temerity to ask questions about the incident for what, by all accounts, was going to be a supportive article.
There's no evidence that this incident is anything more than a self-promoting professor creating controversy where none exists.
Dec '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I'm glad someone else had the stones to bring this one up. Just yesterday a woman in the grocery store was walking around in her Hooters tank top (appropriately filled out) and would probably have taken offense had I obviously noticed. There has to be some balance in this. Women affect men. Ignorance of that fact should not be an excuse for offense when it occurs.
Aug '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I am perfectly comfortable with what this professor did. Breastfeeding in public, even in the workplace, is no big deal.
Bringing a disruptive child -- and I'm not saying that is the case here -- is another matter. I have children that I often have to bring to work with me -- even to public events and board meetings. It is a necessity given our family's income and lack of family in close proximity. My children know not to disturb daddy when he is working, and they can occupy themselves with coloring etc.
Mar '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
We already have a social norm for staring at breasts in public: if a woman is wearing non-sexual but somewhat form-fitting clothing, staring at breasts is rude. If a woman is wearing a bikini top around town, it becomes a very gray area.
Breastfeeding would seem to me to fit clearly into the first category. It does not exactly display breasts in a lascivious manner.
Mar '11
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. · 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. · 26 minutes ago
Wow, your wife has two sports cars? Good catch.
May '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Professor Dad brings his 5 year old son to class. During the lecture, the kid starts getting antsy. So Dad pulls out his ball glove and starts to play catch with the kid, while continuing to lecture.
Or, Professor Dad has to drive the kids to school and doesn't have time to shave in the morning. So he brings a basin and shaving kit to class, places it on the podium, and lathers up while he's giving the lecture.
Is that professional behavior? Is it because we don't like combining traditional and modern roles?
May '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Oh, the ubiquitous gratuitous digs at Palin! No one, left or right, can resist. Whatever you think of her, Palin cannot be reduced to a reality-TV star. And by the way, the show was a blast. Being from Maine, I appreciated her genuine enthusiasm for the outdoor life.
Agreed that Palin's womanliness and sex appeal were a big hindrance politically, though. That kind of obvious femininity, on the part of a powerful political woman, seems to makes people uncomfortable. Remember all the disparaging jokes about Palin's fecundity? Horrors! And she was even scarier because she was a "defective" breeder, giving birth to a baby that 96 or 97 percent of women would abort.
Mar '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
My Dad used to occasionally bring me to his classes when my parents couldn't find a babysitter. I would sit in the corner drawing, but every so often he would check up on me. It didn't seem to disrupt the class at all.
I think this is all a question of the relative impact. A professor bringing her baby to a lecture once and breastfeeding while still talking isn't any worse than one who constantly checks their cell phone for new emails during class. A professor bringing a loud baby to class every day is obviously a problem.
Businesses also have a right to set terms of employment. But it seems that most businesses are willing to turn a blind eye to the occasional baby-breast conference, and that sounds sensible to me.
Sep '12
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I just can't help the suspicion that the professor actually hoped to provoke a reaction, and would have been sorely disappointed if none had arisen, especially since she chose to exacerbate the little pushback that she did receive. After all, even if it's not unprofessional to conduct ones class while caring for her child, it's certainly unusual, and thus worthy of comment.
I can't imagine too many professors who would approve of a student bringing her child to class, much less choosing the middle of a lecture to begin feeding, an activity I might add that requires a fair amount of movement and adjustment, itself pretty disruptive to ones neighbors.
Jul '12
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
gnarlydad: I dunno, I've never been that hungry at work.
Seriously, no, it's not unprofessional in the least. Anyone who is offended by a woman breastfeeding her child needs therapy or a reality check. · 2 hours ago
Amen. 100% Amen.
Aug '12
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Mendel
We already have a social norm for staring at breasts in public: if a woman is wearing non-sexual but somewhat form-fitting clothing, staring at breasts is rude. If a woman is wearing a bikini top around town, it becomes a very gray area.
Breastfeeding would seem to me to fit clearly into the first category. It does not exactly display breasts in a lascivious manner. · 6 minutes ago
Why do you assume lasciviousness? This is a normal public activity we are discussing, sort of like dancing or eating.
My question is: would being watched make the woman uncomfortable, and what does that imply about appropriateness? If I am wrong to make her uncomfortable in public, is she wrong if she makes other people uncomfortable?
Nov '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
My opinions:
1 - There is no hidden societal agenda against women on display here. Some people are uncomfortable with breastfeeding, so I understand the reaction here.
2 - There are a few ways to breastfeed a kid. My wife was always fairly discreet about it. You knew what she was up to, but it wasn't uncomfortable. I had a woman in my house once who just pulled out the breast for all to see. Is that what the professor did? Because if she did, then I really understand the reaction.
3 - If I brought my baby to work with me, citing no childcare, my boss would tell me to take a sick day.
Apr '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Ok I'm not reading all the comments so sorry if any of this is a repeat.
If I was sitting in that class and my professor brought their baby I think I could stand to have the kid crawling about, but if in the middle of lecture the professorial felt in necessary to breast feed the little guy I would become incredibly uncomfortable. I think I would not be alone in that feeling. Creating this atmosphere as a lecturer is very unproffessional.
What do I have against breast feeding in public, you ask. Well basically it is a form of public nudity. I like all good Americans am vary prudish about such things. To me it would be the same as the professor delivering the lecture while using the toilet in public. The professor should know better than to create such an environment.
Nov '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Was it take your child to work day?
:-)
In general I think it must be forcefully asserted that there is nothing offensive or unprofessional about breastfeeding in front of others in public or in any other natural human activity (in which breastfeeding is not prohibitive for some other reason. EG don't breastfeed while scuba diving, bungee jumping or driving.)
As it appears that circumstances warrented this break from usual practice, because of the disruption in child care, I see no problem with this. What if someone spilled syrup all over my shirt just prior to class -- would anyone fault me (a male, ahem) for teaching that one class shirtless -- obviously explaining the reason to my students? It is not obscene (well, maybe in my case), but certainly outside the "normal" bounds of conduct. Or barefoot, if some dire need arose?
If the lady decides to just save on the cost and bother of day care altogether and keeps bringing the kid to class then there is a problem. The students are not paying tuition to become an audience to an experiment in juggling day care and university instruction.
But that's just a common sense judgement, not morality.
Aug '12
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I can almost guarantee that someone would object. Possibly even a feminist.
Apr '11
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
Every time someone who is pro public breastfeeding makes their argument it comes down to "It's a natural body function and the baby needs to eat". An absurd argument when a little public decorum would solve the problem (throwing the baby blanket over your shoulder). Body functions have been outlawed in public for years. Not because they bother people but because they "might" bother some people.
Dec '10
Re: Is It Unprofessional to Breastfeed at Work?
I think this is debatable. Some women breastfeed in such a way that you would have to really look to tell what's going on even without draping a blanket or other obscuring device over them. There are women at my church who behave in such a way. There is, of course, another who just whips the thing out for all to see without having the child at the ready. At times like that we must use our own courtesy to make up for the lack of it in others.