Woman Files Complaint Saying She Was Being Discreet, Airline Disagrees...
A woman who claims she was kicked off an airplane because she was breast-feeding her baby has filed a complaint against two airlines, her attorney said.
Emily Gillette, 27, of Santa Fe, N.M., filed the complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission late last week against Delta Air Lines and Freedom Airlines, said her attorney, Elizabeth Boepple. Freedom was operating the Delta flight between Burlington and New York City.
Gillette said she was discreetly breast-feeding her 22-month-old daughter on Oct. 13 as their flight prepared to leave Burlington International Airport. She said she was seated by the window in the next-to-last row, her husband was seated between her and the aisle and no part of her breast was showing.
A flight attendant tried to hand her a blanket and told her to cover up, Gillette said. She declined, telling the flight attendant she had a legal right to breast-feed her baby.
Moments later, a Delta ticket agent approached and said the flight attendant had asked that the family be removed from the flight, Gillette said. She said she didn’t want to make a scene and complied.
“It embarrassed me. That was my first reaction, which is a weird reaction for doing something so good for a child,” Gillette said Monday.
A Freedom spokesman said Gillette was asked to leave the flight after she declined the blanket.
“A breast-feeding mother is perfectly acceptable on an aircraft, providing she is feeding the child in a discreet way,” that doesn’t bother others, said Paul Skellon, spokesman for Phoenix-based Freedom. “She was asked to use a blanket just to provide a little more discretion, she was given a blanket, and she refused to use it, and that’s all I know.”
A complaint against two airlines was filed with the Vermont Human Rights Commission, although Executive Director Robert Appel said he was barred by state law from confirming the complaint. He said state law allows a mother to breast-feed in public.
The Vermont Human Rights Commission investigates complaints and determines whether discrimination may have occurred. The parties to a complaint are given six months to reach a settlement. If none is reached, the commission then decides whether to go to court. A complainant can file a separate suit in state court at any time.
That is so wrong. Of course its also a little wierd and not normal (as in most people stop by 1 year of age) to breast feed a nearly 2 year old. I think both parties over reacted...I bet there was a third unmentioned person...you know the uncomfortable one that told the flight attendant in the first place. We all know she should not have been kicked of and embarassed but was it that big a deal to use a little request discreation. I feed mine were ever whenever but also take into consideration that some one else might not be so free and cover up more if need be.
Very iffy situation i think...good luck Emily G
I think its totally wrong. She should not have been required to use a blanket. Do any of you want to eat with a blanket over your head? As a matter of fact, I believe discomfort of other passngers or not, she should have been able to breastfeed with other parts of her breast showing. In my state a woman has a legal right to show any part of her breasts necessary in order to feed the baby.
It sounds like she did not over react. She simply refused the blanket and then complied with an unreasonable request to leave the flight.
the attendants and supervisors did respond unreasonably.
I do disagree that it is not normal to breast feed a 2 year old. The world wide average is 4 years old and the US average is 2, meaning some breast feed longer than 2 in the us and some shorter. Its just that people have been conditioned to associate breasts with sex and its been distanced from the tremendous noursihment it can provide. Even to a two year old who is not dependent on the milk for survival.
www.worldcantwait.com
Your right...i did not realize that average was so old...i believe it is fine to do as long as you want...i remember some stink about a woman who feed her 10year old still this way at times...is that wrong? According to places and things that i have been exposed to they all say the till 1 is the best and i never seen anyone older do it ...i was miss informed thank you... I guess its is because people are so uncomfortable and do associate with the sex that the average public does not know or even think about
Well, of course I know it wasn't right how she was treated. I mean come on, the woman had to feed her baby and had to travel at the same time. Breastfeeding is hard enough without people stereotyping people and sticking them in their own group. As to the breastfeeding age; it should not go past 4 years of age, and yes, it is truly healthy for your child and builds a strong bond between the mother and child. I too think that someone that was a bit uncomfortable and who probably had no children complained. That woman has every right according to the law to breastfeed her child anywhere she likes. It doesn't say, you can breastfeed, but, you have to cover your self completely or shove a blanket over your child. I would have shouted it loud for all to hear what they have done. I think she will win her case. She paid for that flight and have travel plans and they pretty much stole from her. She didn't ask for their opinions on how to care for her child. Plus, she was in the very back and was at least trying to be discreet. People these days just disgust me...of all the issues we have in this world that need attention drawn to them, they decide to toy with a helpless mother who just wants to feed her crying child. Everyone just needs to grow up! Thanks for your comments...
Marlena Brown
I disagree that breastfeeding should not go past 4 years old. I think that is an American social construct. Breastfeeding can and does go beyond four world wide (the average is 4 worldwide remember... those are WHO statistics). But everything else you said, marlena, I agree with.
www.worldcantwait.com
I was referring to what doctors and psychologist say that an appropriate time is to stop breastfeeding your child is considered. I do appreciate your comment though, but, I just wanted to let you know what I was referring to. I have three children and have breastfed all three and each one was different, so, it depends mostly on the mother and child. It is a bit wierd and not looked nicely upon when you extend breastfeeding beyond 4 years. That can screw a kid up. Anyways thanks for your reply.
Marlena Brown
Marlena:
Could you point me to the research to which you are referring? I'm not aware of any research done by doctors or psychologists that identifies harm done to children that breastfeed beyond four years old.
Here's some research on the benefits of extended breastfeeding (defined as breastfeeding beyond one year):
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
Take care,
Jeanette
I think this lady has a lawsuit that she will be able to win!!
Peace n Bike Grease~Sara
If there were an offended third party that was not mentioned here, I as the flight attendant would have offered to move them or give them a blanket to put over their head. I have breastfed two children and neither of them were too appreciative of a blanket over their head. In fact, my second child refused to eat if I covered her with a blanket. She would squirm and cry.
But let's assume the flight attendant never breast fed a child. Did she realize she was violating a law in kicking the woman off the plane for breastfeeding? Probably not. I did not know of breatfeeding laws until I started breastfeeding. My embarrased husband prompted an online search for me.
So, let's take this issue one step higher than the directly involved parties. Society has labeled breasts as sexual organs and the cut off for breastfeeding at one. Why? When other cultures display breasts on daytime television and breastfeed to 4 years old, why have we decided that it is unacceptable to do either? I bet if the woman had been feeding an infant, she would not have been kicked off the plane, blanket or not.
What's so wrong about covering up with a simple blanket? I mean, its one thing if she got kicked out for being completely covered up; but she was exposing her breast and declined to cover it up just a bit more. I wouldn't want to be on a plane, look over and see a woman blatantly breastfeeding her child; i know that it is accepted by many, but a little discretion would probably be best.
Just because you wouldn't want to see it doesn't mean its your right not to see it, nor does it mean its her requirement to cover up. Theres a lot of things people don't want to see, but other people have the right to put in the public sphere. Biracial couples, kissing and sex everywhere, pictures of aborted fetuses, billl boards telling half the population their going to hell, A big 1/2 mile 1/4 wide plaster God rising from a pond by a major interstate that irritates a lot of people (no joke), kkk rallies in the middle of town, queer pride parades full of men dressed like divas and women on bikes in in leather, homeless people begging, paralized people drooling their food in restaurants.
Whats wrong with covering up is that its her right not to, that if the other passengers were uncomfortable they probably could have moved, that its unreasonable to ask a baby to eat under a blanket, and that according to the article nothing was visible to passengers to cover, AND in spite of it all she lost her travel plans, and her money for a fare she paid for.
I do disagree with the statement is probably best. It sounds like she worked with a lot of discretion, more than a little.
But my PERSONAL opinion is that no discretion should be required. It shouldn't be something we are ashamed of or uncomfortable with, and if we are, its all the more reason it should be visible, and nobody is gluing anybody's eyes to it.
www.worldcantwait.com
I totally agree...of all the major issues that we have in our society that makes us feel a bit uncomfortable...why is breastfeeding your child in public seem so wrong to some. There are way too many issues that need our full attention. When it comes to breastfeeding, there is just no way that you can be fully discreet. And no mother should be treated like a leper because her main thought is to feed her child. For those of you who don't like breastfeeding in public; I know you will change your mind if it was you that needed to feed your baby on an airplane. God gave us women that gift and the government gave us that legal right to do it in public. So, just deal with it!
Marlena Brown