It’s kind of crazy to me that there is still so much controversy surrounding breastfeeding in public, considering boobs are everywhere. From Victoria’s Secret ads to “Game of Thrones” to your fave Beyonce video, breasts are pretty much out and about. Which is OK–there’s nothing wrong with lots of boobs–but then why the double standard when it comes to breastfeeding?
It seems impossible for moms to escape the judgment of public breastfeeding–as if a mom feeding her kid is somehow immoral or impolite or distasteful. This is why I love the fact that mom and British spoken word poet Hollie McNish tackled the issue in her latest poem “Embarrassed.”
In only three minutes, McNish expertly summarizes the awkwardness of public breastfeeding, stating in the description under the video on her YouTube channel:
“I wrote this poem in a public toilet after my 6 month old baby fell asleep. I was in town on my own a lot with her and the first time I fed her someone commented that I should stay home.
I was embarrassed and for 6 months took her into toilets when I was alone without the support of boyfriend, friends, mum etc. I hate that I did that but I was nervous, tired and felt awkward. And now I find it weird that our TVs, media etc never show breastfeeding in soaps, cartoons, anything. That we and the US are so bloody scared of it. It’s weird.”
Also, think about it. We really don’t see breastfeeding moms in films and TV–yet we pretty much see everything else–from extreme violence and gore to explicit sex.
Watch the poem here–it’s absolutely magnificent:
