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How do you feel about it being against the law for women to be topless in public? Did you know in some places it isn't? Do you think a woman should be fined for breastfeeding in public? Why?? Let us know your thoughts.

Hi, Moe. I don't think women should be fined for breastfeeding in public, because it is one of the most natural things a woman can do, if she chooses. Now women being topless is totally different in my opinion. I would not want to go places where women could choose to be topless or not. If it was a place noted for being topless, then I could choose not to go if I didn't want to be part of it or not see it. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Women who breastfeed are usually very discreet and most people would not even be aware that a woman was doing it if they did not have experience with it themselves. When I pass a crying baby in a mother's arms and see the mother making adjustments to herself and the baby, I know that she is trying to get to a comfortable place to take care of her baby. I know this because I nursed both of my children and did it very discreetly, not to show others my body but because my baby needed to eat. I only nursed in public for the first few months while the baby was indeed an infant and not yet on any kind of schedule. I can't imagine nursing a 2 year old in the middle of the mall.

When I nursed, I always made sure that I had a diaper, burp rag or cute little nursing blanket draped over my shoulders and my baby's head. I sure was not anywhere near topless. I should hope that there would never be fines imposed on a woman who was beastfeeding. Studies have shown that nursed babies have a better defense system and it certainly is the healthiest way to feed a baby. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm not so sure about the benefit of providing a boost to the immune system as both my children have allergies. Even though they both received all the great benefits of being breastfed (not to mention the bonding that was done), I don't discount boosting the immune system because both my children are light haired and blue eyed, both of which are common in people with allergies. So maybe the allergies would have been much worse had they not been nurse! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I see nursing in restaurants, stores, church and never think twice about it, except to grin at the momories of my own experiences. If I saw a topless woman in any of those places, I would be dismayed, shocked, embarrassed...I can't answer for my husband or other males, but I think it should remain outlawed in public places.

Trish

Being bare breasted is NOT illegal in Missouri(except in Miller County) as long as the female(s) in question are on or in water...no really, it is true! The Lake of the Ozarks is a HUGE lake with a Party Cove that has been featured in GQ and beleive me there are bare breasts in bounding bouncing bountiful abundance....there are videos available(so my son has informed me!)

In most of Europe being topless whilst swimming or sunbathing is a completely accepted practice.

Nobody cares becasue it is completely socially accepted behaviour. Men do don't leer or walk abound scraping their knuckles and beating their chests because it is nothing ro get excited about.

Nobody is walking down the street topless or walking topless around the supermarket to buy groceries (It would get damn chilly in the freezer department for one thing) in Europe being topless is reserved for sunbathing activities.

As far as the breast feeding issue goes .... breast feeding babies is a natural part of the cycle of life. Once a child is on solid food then it is a mothers responsibility to stop breast feeding and allow a child to grow indepenantly.

Women who breast feed beyond this point in my opinion are mentally unbalanced and are bordering on child abusers.

There are worse things to see in this world than boobs there needs to be a reality check !

I live in a small town in Ontario, Canada. It is now NOT against the law for women to be topless. A few years ago a bunch of women went to city council to have the law abolished. It was more on principle than anything. I still haven't seen a woman walking down the street topless. I agree it shouldn't be against the law for a woman to be topless. Some men have bigger breasts than women and are topless in the most inappropriate of places. As a society we've placed so much emphasis on the breast. Especially whether they are beautiful or not. A woman should not be asked to leave an establishment because she's breastfeeding. I agree with the baby blanket cover and being discreet. It is just common manners to those around you.

It's a great topic for discussion. Thank you all for adding your comments.

Indeed, topless bathing (and bottomless) in many places is legal. My family comes from a country in Europe where women had certain hours of the day reserved for bathing in the ocean without swimwear, men were given another time of the day to do the same. Children accompanied parents of either gender.

As for breastfeeding in public, Trish, I, too, did so--with both of my children. I wouldn't use the argument of "it's natural," however! Or we could just as easily defend urinating in public. But breastfeeding is a part of child care, and there simply is no reason why it cannot be done without full exposure. I always wore a top that I could lift, draped over my breast as the baby nursed... and no one the wiser.

Zee

I had nothing against breastfeeding in public until feminists got into that so now I am against it because of feminists and also because many women just do not want to schedule their time around their babies, if you cannot wait until your baby has eaten before going out then you should not have a child. As for women being topless I do not care about that at all, people could go out completely naked and I would not care.