Yanno, I don't know if it's because I live in Alaska, or because of the luck I've had, but I have NEVER experienced any prejudice against breastfeeding in my entire life. I see people post things about being afraid to nurse in public, about not wanting to deal with other people's judgments, etc... and I have just NEVER seen anyone approach a nursing mother with disdain, ever! Not ANYWHERE! I've seen teenage girls walking through Safeway with their boob clearly popped out of their tank top with a baby attached to it, and never heard a discouraging word in association with it. I breastfed my baby in my car a lot when he was little, and I would have people walk by and smile all the time, little finger wave of Mom-solidarity, but never have I been told I should/could go into a restroom to nurse, asked to cover up (which I really did when in public anyways, out of personal preference.) or treated otherwise rudely or disrespectfully.
I didn't realize this was really a thing that happened in the world. I mean, I guess I'd heard people indicate it, but I've just never seen it in person. I recently joined a Breastfeeding Supporters page on Facebook, and people post about horrible things that happened to them, like a woman being asked to leave a salon because nursing her baby made other customers uncomfortable, and even after she told them that it was illegal to ask her not to breastfeed there, they insisted that she leave, and also charged her full price for her (unfinished) services. I would come UNGLUED! I would HIT A BITCH! I would actually probably call the police and refuse to leave. lol... cuz that's how I roll.
I hope the real world (i.e., Lower 48 USA) isn't secretly a horrible place to live, cuz I would just hate it if I had to move back to Alaska afterI finally escape this hell hole...
/endrant
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