A wedding was held at the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio. During picture-taking, the bride’s sister stepped away to nurse her baby. With her breasts.
History shows we can’t have that!
Emily Locke and child.
As Emily Locke was breastfeeding her 9-month-old, a museum employee told her “You aren’t allowed to do that here.” (“Do that.”) Locke, who knew more about it than the museum employee, explained that she did in fact have a legal right to nurse her child there. The employee said it was against museum policy. Stop!
Well, no. Locke was then threatened with being talked to by the employee’s manager. Fine.
“Madonna with Child,” Francisco de Zurbarán, 1658.
The manager appeared, and was just as obtuse. She told Locke she had to move. The museum had a private area where Locke could “do that.”
Well, no. Locke said she would stay where she was, near her family and other two kids. Again she pointed out that it is spelled out in law that a woman can breastfeed her children in any place she’s permitted to be.
The manager said they were in a “family museum.” Locke said she was engaged in a “family moment.” The manager whined that she was only trying to protect innocent children. Locke stayed put. The manager gave up.
But Locke, shocked that she had been hassled in this way, posted about it on Facebook and drew a storm of sympathetic outrage.
The history center’s director, Angie Lowrie joined in, posting on Facebook:
We are a family museum and do not, in fact, have a policy against breastfeeding at the museum. We are sorry that the misinformation of a few staff members created such a negative experience.
Nice way to reclaim “family museum.” Also:
We do not nor have we ever had a policy that prohibits a mother from feeding her child. We have contacted the mother directly and issued an apology which she has accepted. We do not condone the incident and are taking steps to retrain our entire staff.
And this statement:
We were made aware that, last weekend, a breastfeeding mother was asked to move to a private space by members of our Cleveland History Center staff. This reflects poor judgment on our part, for which we are truly sorry. We have formally apologized to the mother, and are immediately implementing additional training for our entire team in order to ensure that an incident like this does not happen in the future. The Western Reserve Historical Society strives to be an inclusive, family-friendly organization that provides a welcoming environment for all our of patrons, including breastfeeding mothers. We did not live up to that goal in this instance.
Orazio Samacchini, “Sagrada Familia” (Holy Family). Sixteenth century. An image which raises the question, “How do you get your hair like that?”
Lowrie told cleveland.com “It clearly was not handled in the way we would want our staff to handle the situation.” (Um, “situation”?) She said the staff hadn’t had training on the subject, and that they had contacted the Ohio Breastfeeding Alliance for assistance. “We will elevate staff training to specifically address interaction with breastfeeding mothers.” She said the two employees who tried to chase Locke out of sight have been disciplined.
She further clarified the museum’s position on ‘family museum,” saying “We are a family institution and welcome to all. It is a safe place to come with a family, and women have every right to feed their children.”
Locke said she accepts the apology, and may well visit the museum again.
SorryWatch agrees. That’s a great apology. It says – specifically – what museum employees did wrong. It explains – briefly – how that happened. It describes what they’re doing so it won’t happen again. And first of all they apologized to Locke.
Dress made in the 1860s. In Ohio.
For some reason cleveland.com asked Locke if she regretted posting on Facebook about her experience. She said no. It’s not a direct quote, so maybe she said “Oh, hell to the no.”
Of course, some posters on Facebook are still raving and snarling, reluctant to drop a good grievance. Maybe it’ll help that the museum posted photos of garments in their collection, “rare survivals” of “clothing made specifically for motherhood” sewn by “Ohio women” that “make the breasts accessible to nursing infants.”
That’s impressive. That’s cool. I await their exhibit on the Ohio history of the meaning of the word “family.”
…yes, what DOES the broadsword of the word “family” mean when one begins to swing it at the head of a mother and child??? That your version of family is somehow less than and unsanitary, so put those sustaining body parts away, you heathen??
One does wonder and await that museum display.
I thought for a minute that SorryWatch had a grievance with this apology, when my SorryWatch education was telling me it was a good apology as I read it.
Whew!
LOVE the breastfeeding dress photo.
I can imagine a wonderful exhibition based on infant care practices across cultures and time–thinking here about not just breastfeeding, but how you deal with the way babies spew from both ends when you don’t have modern diapers nor washing machines for Mom’s garments.
Oh, that would be great!