http://itsybitsysteps.com/mom-banned-from-facebook-after-controversial-breastfeeding-photo/ Quote:
Mom Lauren Ferrari was banned from Facebook after she posted a photo of her 5-year-old daughter pretending to breastfeed her 2-year-old.
A day after Ferrari posted the photo, Facebook sent her a notice saying that she has violated site policies. Facebook not only removed the photo but also banned Ferrari from accessing the site for a week.
“When I posted it, I said, ‘She says she’s nursing her baby’ … She didn’t say, ‘Mommy look, she’s kissing my boobie,’” Ferrari explained herself.
However, police officials are siding with Facebook in this matter.
“That’s something that this family, that these girls, are going to have to ultimately deal with,” Stefanie Thomas of the Seattle police department said, adding that Ferrari was careless and didn’t realize potential misuse of the photo by other people.
Beyond the privacy question is the deeper issue of the oversexualized view of breastfeeding in the United States. Should young girls be aware of the natural concept of breastfeeding? Earlier this year, Facebook had banned a page “Express Yourself Mums” that featured girls pretending to breastfeed their dolls. To push matters further, the public was outraged by the release of the European product, “Breast Milk Baby” which allows young girls to play and nurse the baby doll.
“It’s not sexual and they were just pretending,” Ferrari said. “What’s obscene about breastfeeding?”
With the rising rates of internet crimes against children, there needs to be some checks and balances for parents who post photos of their kids in general. However, with strong backlash against breastfeeding, I almost wonder if the reactions themselves are fueling the oversexualized and almost taboo view towards an act, which is, essentially nothing more than feeding a baby.
Why is breastfeeding so sexualized? Do you get a boner everytime you see someone breastfeeding?? Sheesh!