A mother is expressing her frustration after a YMCA employee asked her to leave a toddler gym class due to breastfeeding her child. You’d think the world would be more accepting of breastfeeding by now, but this incident in Limerick, Pennsylvania, serves as a stark reminder that there’s still work to be done.
In a Facebook post that has garnered significant attention, Lisa Johnson shared her experience during a weekly toddler gym class with her 19-month-old son. When her little one became hungry, she found a quiet spot on the balance beam to nurse him. But soon, two staff members approached her with an outrageous request: she needed to leave the room because “men in this class are uncomfortable.”
“I was sitting on the balance beam, which was against the wall. To my right were large storage shelves filled with toys and balls,” she recounted. As she nursed her son, two upper-level managers entered the room and requested that she move to a bench outside the classroom. Apparently, none of these gentlemen had ever encountered a nursing baby before.
When her friend asked if there was a designated nursing area, they suggested the locker room. “The locker room that includes men, women, and children,” Johnson pointed out. She firmly stated she wouldn’t be nursing her son in a bathroom setting, but was told she couldn’t nurse in the class. Johnson informed the staff that it is actually illegal in most states to require nursing mothers to leave a designated area. The employees looked up the law but, even after realizing their mistake, they continued to insist she use the locker room.
“I spoke with the teacher and the associate director, who confirmed that it is illegal to ask a nursing mother to leave a room,” she explained. However, the director still suggested she nurse with a cover or behind a curtain in the co-ed locker room. Johnson was told they didn’t have an issue with breastfeeding moms, yet their actions told a different story. “I can’t believe in 2023, at a family-oriented facility, we are still discriminating against women for how they choose to feed their child,” she concluded.
The incident sparked some debate. YMCA CEO Greg Thompson clarified that the employee had misunderstood the situation, believing Johnson was disrupting the class by sitting on the balance beam, which led to the request for her to move. “Our intent was never to make her feel unwelcome,” he told a news outlet.
Following the incident, Johnson received two apologies from YMCA representatives and a group of supportive moms organized a nurse-in to show solidarity. Regardless of the miscommunication, it’s clear that Johnson felt uncomfortable while nursing, and we commend her for bringing attention to this issue.
It’s unfortunate that breastfeeding mothers often have to navigate such challenges and face criticism for simply doing what nature intended. Let’s hope stories like Johnson’s encourage more people to educate themselves on the laws surrounding breastfeeding and foster a more supportive environment for nursing moms. For more insights on family planning and home insemination, check out this link for helpful resources.
In summary, a mother was asked to leave a YMCA class while breastfeeding her son, leading to a conversation about the rights of nursing moms and the importance of creating a supportive environment for all families.