Nigel Farage sent Twitter into frenzy last week when he backed the decision of a London hotel to ask a breastfeeding woman to cover up.
The UKIP leader made the comments during a radio interview and said that mothers who wish to feed their children should ‘perhaps sit in the corner.’
Louise Burns, 35, said she was ‘shocked’ and ‘appalled’ when staff at Claridge’s hotel asked her to use a large napkin to cover herself while she breastfed her three-month-old daughter.
After sharing the image on social media thousands of furious mothers waded in on the hotly debated topic and rallied together to stage a public breastfeed outside the swanky hotel.
Mr Farage said: “It’s not an issue that I get terribly hung up about, but I know particularly people of the older generation feel awkward and embarrassed by it.”
But after years of ‘breast is best’ campaigns should women be made to feel like its only okay to breastfeed discretely?
MM took to the streets of Manchester to find out your thoughts and ask:
Should women cover up when breast-feeding in public?
|
Yes |
26% |
|
No |
74% |
Etwina Bousnu, 20, a student from Manchester, said: “I don’t think they should fully cover up, they should be feeling comfortable to breast feed it’s a natural thing, everyone knows it happens.
“They are doing a naturally motherly thing.”
Hannah Heywood, 30, a psychologist from Lancashire, agreed with this and said: “It’s a human right to be fed by your mother.
“People are sexualising it, but it’s not a sexual thing, it’s a basic human need.
“I think men have more of a problem with it, because they associate breasts with sex, whereas women understand, that it’s something you have to do.”
Mrs Brown, 65, from Knutsford, said: “I fed all of my babies in public.
“I think that certain men are ok with women breast-feeding in public, because if there partner breast-feeds then there are more accepting of it.”
Sarah Deegan, 22, from Manchester, is a student midwife and she thinks that if more women breast-fed in public people would feel more comfortable with it.
She said: “I don’t think they should cover up at all, I think its natural; I don’t think it should be seen as a sexual thing. I think there should be more areas where women can go to do it.”
BREAST IS BEST: Sarah Deegan says there should be more areas for women to feed their children
However Mary Akins, 56, from Glossop, said that it would make her feel uncomfortable if she was having a meal and someone was breast-feeding next to her. She said: “I did breast feed, but not in public though.”
Simon, 56, also agreed. He said: “If you’re discreet about it then it’s fine, but if you were eating, you don’t want to turn around and see it.”
Dena Wills, 52, a Civil Servant from Oldham, said: “Breast is best, that’s what the body was made for.
“I don’t agree with how Claridge’s dealt with the situation, but I think that if they don’t want them to breast feed in public then provide somewhere where they can do it.
Asked to cover up with this ridiculous shroud while #breastfeeding so not to cause offence @ClaridgesHotel today.. pic.twitter.com/Is8GWUaGag
— Lou Burns (@Andysrelation) December 1, 2014
“I used to go in the toilets, but it’s not right there should be somewhere where you can go to breast feed.
“It is embarrassing when you breast feed; you feel like everyone is watching you. So I think that women should have a bit of modesty.”
Paul Adams, 48, from Sheffield, who is a commercial director said: “I don’t really have a problem with it, I’m not that bothered.
“It’s a women’s right to breast-feed but then it’s also her right to cover her modesty, you’re not going to sit topless in a restaurant.
“My wife didn’t breast feed but that doesn’t mean other people shouldn’t.”
Amy Wilson, 25, a broadcast assistant from Chorlton, said: “I just think men need to grow up and stop being immature.
“I think that it’s just certain people that have got the wrong views on it really.”
