Breastfeeding in public- a protected right for all mothers- is in the spotlight after an ill-informed Michigan bus driver kicked a woman off a bus for nursing her baby.
32-year-old Afrykayn Moon says the driver, a female, confronted her about the practice. Moon knew state law provided protection for breastfeeding mothers against public nudity restrictions, but says the bus driver refused to move until Moon stopped feeding the baby. At the next stop, security guards boarded the bus and questioned the young mother about the incident.
Moon belongs to a local breastfeeding organization for black mothers, which kind of makes you wonder how often this happens to moms who aren’t (ahem) abreast of their lawful right to nurse. She commented:
“I had him in a football wrap… She wasn’t seeing much… It’s not dirty. If enough people start to nurse their children in public, this kind of stuff would stop,” she said.
Of her group’s goals, Moon says:
“We’re trying to get the black community caught up with everybody else,” Moon said. “I don’t know what people thought was going on before bottles.”
SMART, the bus agency, said it has reminded drivers of a woman’s right to nurse on public transport. The driver is on paid leave while the incident is looked into. Do you think these types of incidents deserve harsher penalties when a mother and child’s rights are violated? Should the driver be fined for infringing on Moon’s rights?
