Every new mother is well aware of the benefits of breastfeeding and why they should breastfeed their baby. A pregnant woman and new mother are bombarded with research, flyers, books, advice, advice from strangers, etc. on why the breast is best. It’s everywhere… except, it seems, at Nationwide Insurance. Although I’m sure Nationwide would claim to be pro-breastfeeding in a “We 100% support breastfeeding… in the home” sorta way.
The Supreme Court has declined to overturn a lower court’s ruling that an insurance company was within bounds when it fired a breastfeeding mother. The woman’s suit was dismissed by the Eighth Circuit Court on the grounds that firing a woman for breastfeeding isn’t sexist because men can lactate, too.
The ACLU’s Galen Sherwin wrote Monday that former Nationwide Insurance Company employee Angela Ames sued her employer when she returned from maternity leave to find that no allowances had been made to enable her to pump breast milk for her baby during the day.
When Ames asked her supervisor for accommodations that would enable her to express milk and store it for her child, the supervisor reportedly responded that Ames should “go home and be with your babies” instead. That supervisor went on to dictate a letter of resignation to Ames that day, effectively forcing her to resign.
Men can lactate, too! They don’t, but they can (or some can), so… hand that baby over to dad and get back to work, Ms. Ames!
I breastfed both of my children, and while I sincerely enjoyed it I would have loved to hand off those 3am feedings to my husband. If only I had known at the time some men could lactate! I would have bought him his very own pump!
Perhaps it’s time to encourage new fathers to try inducing lactation. I can’t imagine new mothers being against this since it would equate into more sleep and free time – two things new mothers have very little of. And if breastfeeding is so important, then let’s spread out the work.
Why aren’t expectant fathers presented with countless materials, instructions and advice on breastfeeding at the doctor’s office… or in line at Target? Why aren’t there breast pumps marketed to men? I Googled “breast pumps” and every one pictured (in its original packaging) had a picture of a mother and child on it. Where was the father? Yes, I know it’s a silly question, but not as silly as pretending it’s okay to fire a mother because men can lactate, too! – and pretending men breastfeeding their children happens all the time. It’s like the court is saying, “I can’t believe you refused to consider your husband breastfeeding your baby! What were you thinking, you selfish, sexist, breastfeeding monopolizer!”
The Court also found that the dismissive statement that Ames should “go home and be with (her) babies” was in fact gender neutral and not directed at Ames because she was a new mother.
Talk about something else that happens all the time. How many men are told to go home and be with their babies? I imagine most fathers would love to hear those words, but they won’t because everyone knows that staying home with children is women’s work. Anyone pretending otherwise (cough, Eighth Circuit Court and Supreme Court, cough) is lying.
Women can’t win. Don’t breastfeed your child? You’re a bad mother who’s hurting her child. Breastfeed your child? You’re fired because you could simply hand that job off to dad… like everyone else. And, why are we having to deal with your breastfeeding issues at work? You should be home with your babies. This is what a War on Women looks like. It’s a no-win situation.