Simone dos Santos, Breastfeeding Mom Accused Of Indecent Exposure

Yet another mom has been shamed for feeding her baby. Simone dos Santos was breastfeeding her four-month-old in the hallway of a D.C. government building when two female security guards told her to stop because it was indecent, ABC7 reports.

Dos Santos was waiting for a traffic hearing and stepped out into the hallway to breastfeed when the guards approached her, though she was covering her baby with a jacket.

"I was shocked, upset and angry that by providing food for my son, I was being treated like a criminal," she wrote in a blog post for the Washington Post.

A lawyer herself, dos Santos knew that legally she had rights -- 28 states as well as D.C. exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.

"I called my law firm to ask for pro bono assistance and an associate who could immediately research whether there was a law regarding breastfeeding in public. I wanted to get the name of all of the guards involved, and finally got a name and number of a supervisor before I was called into the room for the hearing on the parking ticket.

I’ve since learned that the guards were completely wrong and had no right to stop me from nursing my infant son. In 2007, Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) signed into law the 'Child's Right to Nurse Human Rights Amendment Act of 2007' (Bill B17-0133) that was approved unanimously by the D.C. Council."

Dos Santos has filed a complaint with the D.C. Office of Human Rights and the case is under investigation. In the meantime, she wants her message to be heard:

"We as nursing women have rights. It's a natural, legally protected process and people need to understand that," she told ABC7.

Additionally, she wants better training for the guards -- and an apology.

This story is (unfortunately) not unique. Click through below to see other places where women have been reprimanded for breastfeeding:

Comments

[Patricia Teel]

02:13 PM on 06/16/2012

I don't have a problem with breast feeding in public as long as the breast is covered. That was what I said in my first comment. And of course I received some comments back. Feeding a baby when needed is a natural (I was told) I agree and I agree that is a good thing to do. But a man taking a pee.is natural and a good thing to do too when they really have to do it but please cover the mechanics of it. And like i said in my first comment, it is the considerate thing to do. Not everyone wants to see another person's boobs or other body parts doing their natural function. It is becoming to much of an it's all about me and mine world without any consideration about others feelings around them.

[jmcgladr]

10:55 AM on 06/14/2012

Good for this Mom for immediately taking action to right this wrong! I am amazed that this happened in a courthouse, of all places - where you would think people would tend to be educated on the LAW!

And OT, but her baby is absolutely beautiful! What a smile!

[jalicea2001]

09:09 PM on 12/28/2011

This bus driver had some real issues going on that I suspect had very little to do with this woman nursing her baby. It's a shame that this bus driver would go to this length to make it extra hard on a mother with 2 kids, a stroller and 2 car seats. This poor woman could have used some compassion and some help instead of all this trouble. OMG, some people should be on an island all by themselves because they cannot relate to other human beings. God bless this mother & her kids.

[janesprints]

04:16 PM on 12/27/2011

Too bad that rights of breast fed babies to eat are no better than they were 28 yrs ago. And too bad that so many people have failed to note that humans are MAMMALS and breasts are only SECONDARY sexual characteristics - their primary purpose being to feed the young.

[ae12wrangell]

02:34 PM on 12/25/2011

Wasn't a law passed that made it legal for all women to breastfeed in public, and no police could do anything?

[ColinZeal2]

12:58 PM on 12/27/2011

Yes it was. Unfortunately ignorance abounds.

[Nikulea]

02:15 AM on 12/23/2011

Everyone seems to forge that there would be no human race if not for brastfeeding. This is how we survived as a species. Also, I am European. And in no place in Europe have people made such a big deal about breasts. We have all seen them, most of us fed from them in infancy, so what the heck is the problem?

[dlhlvsarh2006]

04:11 PM on 12/21/2011

I do believe that many people are a bit confused ..Womens breasts were made to feed an infant not to objects of sexual thoughts ...yeah news flash uh? It's grown men and womens screwed up ideas in their heads that make them think other wise ...I see nothing wrong with a woman feeding her infant with a blanket or something over her in any public place...but the again most adults cant even cover their own mouths while talking with food in thier mouths so what can we expect ...SMH..Grow up and stop acting so silly over an infant eating ..While most adults have the table manners of at best hogs at feeding time!!!

[Brian Lavery]

10:11 AM on 12/28/2011

very well put!

[rt1027]

12:31 AM on 12/19/2011

big deal

[Bandynose]

12:27 AM on 12/19/2011

I have no problem with breast feeding, but I can see how people raised to believe children holding hands is wrong and dirty, would also believe one human sucking the breast of another (regardless of the obvious necessity) would also be shameful.
That being said, you couldn't drag me into a room set up and used for nappy changing to feed a child. You may call it clean but I'd like to see it under black light please.

[damomb01]

03:42 PM on 12/18/2011

http://www2.worldpub.net/images/parenting/pdf/btcard_0707latest.pdf

For all of you so opposed to mothers breast feeding in public, read it and weep!

For all of you moms who want to and feel that you have to use the restroom to feed your children consider this. When a toilet is flushed, fecal material can travel in the air up to 30 + feet! NOT where I'd ever consider feeding MY child.

For anyone who suggests to me that I should do so, I would suggest they do the same, since there is "NOTHING wrong with it". People need to get over their discomfort of such a healthy, natural process.

[ludabean]

01:18 AM on 12/19/2011

Actually it's 50 feet plus. I posted that too. Disgusting!

[valencia621]

05:42 AM on 12/23/2011

Exactly why I always insist that the toilet cover be put down, before flushing,in my home.

[vidian6]

11:38 AM on 12/18/2011

How stupid can you be, this woman was feeding her child I believe that people really need to remember what we are. This isn't a fashion statement, it's doing what all mammals are supposed to do and that's feed their children

[Equestrienne85]

11:32 AM on 12/18/2011

They're just breasts, people. Their purpose is to feed children. Why have people's ideas about the human body become so completely skewed?

[ToriaCove]

11:45 AM on 12/17/2011

I know of at least one shopping mall with a special place in the women's restroom for nursing mothers. I also know of a church with a special room for nursing mothers. I believe special places should be set aside for nursing mothers so those of us who find breast feeding in public offensive can avoid being subjected to it. It's as simple as that.

[kestra spiritnova]

11:48 AM on 12/17/2011

I agree with you on this one. I was at a department store that had a bathroom with a nice sitting area that I was able to use. I loved it.

[BeanBoo]

11:55 AM on 12/17/2011

Kestra - didn't you say earlier that you would never feed your child in a bathroom? That could have been someone else, all the usernames look the same.

[vidian6]

11:41 AM on 12/18/2011

I believe that the biggest problem is that people forget what we are. They've turned normal functions into dirty happening. People just need to grow up, we're mammals get over it.

[BeanBoo]

10:38 PM on 12/18/2011

Mammals also poop whenever and wherever they want to. So... do you want to be mammals or civilized humans?

[excrusade]

11:17 AM on 12/17/2011

Did anyone else think this part was odd: "A lawyer herself, dos Santos knew that legally she had rights ... 'I called my law firm to ask for pro bono assistance and an associate who could immediately research whether there was a law regarding breastfeeding in public.'"

If she was a lawyer who knew her rights, why did she have to call "her" law firm to ask for pro bono (free) assistance and have someone research her rights? I'm not a lawyer and already know the basics of my rights and when I'm unsure, I go online and find out. If she was a lawyer, she should have already had a grasp of what her rights were, more so than the average person.

Anyway, I just thought that part was odd. As for breastfeeding, it doesn't bother me, I don't stare at people when they're doing so and I think it's perfectly acceptable. For being a free country, the United States is extremely prude and most of our citizens have never even left the town they live in. Travel abroad and you will see just how free you really are. It's a scary discovery...

[kestra spiritnova]

11:24 AM on 12/17/2011

My guess is that she was aware of a law protecting her right to breastfeed, but she was calling to either confirm that the law existed for her state or to find out what could be done in response to a violation of that law.

My impression was that she made this call immediately after being confronted. Some people have the ability to look up information on the internet from their phone, while other people do not, depending on the type of cell phone you have. Even if you do have that ability to look up information on your phone, it may still be easier to make a phone call.

[Bandynose]

12:36 AM on 12/19/2011

As with doctors a lawyer working for herself has a fool for a client.

[Patricia Teel]

10:32 AM on 12/17/2011

If everything is covered I don't have a problem with it. I have been in a situation where a mother just flooped out a big ole purple veined boob and stuck it in her babies mouth without the least covering. When I politely asked if her to please cover herself she nastily asked me if I hated kids. There were 5 men in the room (my red faced husband one of them) with her and me.I told her that I did not hate kids but I disliked big ugly boobs. I have seen several women just do it in public without any covering. And I believe they are being inconsiderate.

[allerleirauh]

09:11 PM on 12/17/2011

Funny, I dislike big ugly mouths.

[kestra spiritnova]

11:44 PM on 12/17/2011

Oh, you said mouths! I thought you said you dislike big ugly moths. Those things creep me out when I see them.

[jmcgladr]

11:10 AM on 06/14/2012

Wow, you are a rude person. I wager you were never asked back into a similar situation with those people again?

[Patricia Teel]

02:18 PM on 06/16/2012

We were in a public waiting room to see a CPA, so no I wasn't asked back to watch this inconsiderate woman.