Nirvana Jennette, Mom Forced Out Of Church For Breastfeeding, Aims To Change Georgia Law [UPDATED]

Nirvana Jennette, a mom of four from Camden County, Georgia says she was forced out of church for breastfeeding her baby. Church leaders asked her to breastfeed in the bathroom and implied they could have arrested her for “lewd behavior.” The most egregious statement? She told news station WSAV that her pastor compared her breastfeeding to a stripper performing.

According to Fox 30 WAWS, although Georgia state law allows a mother to nurse her child anywhere, Jennette could face public indecency charges. She wants her message to be heard loud and clear -- breastfeeding is natural and moms who want to feed their children in public should be protected. To that end, she's decided to stage a nurse-in and is seeking to establish legislative change for the State of Georgia.

(This story has been updated. Scroll down for new information.)

On March 5th, Jennette will stage the "Georgia Statewide Nurse-In" at the Woodbine Courthouse and is calling for moms and supporters to join her via Facebook. Nurse-in protests are becoming much more common -- recently, moms breastfed in front of Facebook's headquarters after nursing photos were wrongfully removed from the social network. And after mom, Michelle Hickman, was shamed for breastfeeding at a Target store, she organized a nationwide nurse-in that took place in several retail locations.

The Georgia Statewide Nurse-In, aims not only to spread awareness and support for breastfeeding moms, but to change the law. As Jennette writes in her petition letter:

Currently Georgia state law allows a mother to nurse her child anywhere that mother and child have permission to be, but there is no enforcement provision. A law without enforcement protects no one. New legislation would provide for civil action against anyone subjecting a nursing mother to harassment or discrimination in violation of the current state breastfeeding law, as well as protection from all indecent exposure laws.

She insists that the law be changed and says, "We will not stop until they are."

According to Jennette's Facebook page, her cause has even been recognized by Oprah. When the queen of daytime television was in Georgia for Lovetown, USA, (a TV show on the OWN network) she was photographed holding the Georgia Statewide Nurse-In flyer.

UPDATE:

Dozens of moms participated in the Georgia Statewide Nurse-In on Monday, March 5th, in Atlanta, Woodbine and other cities throughout the state. According to News4Georgia.com, "The mothers said they're hopeful lawmakers will take notice and the laws will change, but in the meantime, they say nothing will stop them from nurturing their children whenever and wherever they need to."

LOOK: More moms who have been shamed for breastfeeding in public:

Comments

[JujuSapiens]

45 minutes ago ( 9:56 AM)

Meanwhile he's probably fondling boys in the pulpit....

[LeAnn McIlwain Vipperman]

08:49 AM on 04/19/2012

Women saying "cover-up" really bothers me. You aren't helping the situation. None of my children ever wanted something over their heads while eating. I'm also not going to feed them a bathroom or hot car. I do things discreetly and so does every other nursing mom I know but ignorant people still comment regardless.

[MrsRo]

19 hours ago ( 3:24 PM)

I agree! I don't think that telling a woman to cover up is any better than telling her to leave the room. Leaving the room or covering up should be for the nursing mother's comfort only. I do not want to expose my breasts in public, but I'm not hiding myself away every time my child needs to eat, since she also refused to be covered.

[Mother77]

09:35 PM on 04/18/2012

PURITANISM.

[Mdp1517]

10:58 PM on 04/02/2012

Low cut blouse with lots of clevage is ok... using boobs as GOD intended is not! Wow.. Sanctimonious fools who hide behind their fake outrage.

[camsheel]

09:23 PM on 03/31/2012

I agree cover up. Maybe Going to the back of the church would have been a good idea

[MrsRo]

19 hours ago ( 3:25 PM)

I would think it's a lot easier to discreetly avert your eyes than it is for a woman to get up in the middle of a church service to feed her baby. Some babies refuse to nurse when covered.

[Ami Zarovsky]

03:02 PM on 03/22/2012

I am all for breast feeding mom's have a right to do so in public. However, cover up. Its not that hard. I breast fed 3 of my children and when in public I always had a nursing blanket to cover with to give me privacy. I don't want to show my self to anyone and I know some people don't want to see it. So just cover up.

[psandysdad]

12:13 PM on 03/15/2012

OK women, just to clear the air: most men are going to have a hard time not staring at a naked breast. Rights and laws and nature notwithstanding, what you are doing is distracting to men.

As long as you're OK with this simple gender fact, do your thing.

Some reactionary types may think breastfeeding isn't a dignified act in public, which is why these incidents keep happening.

[Betty Bogue]

01:51 AM on 03/16/2012

Personally I try my best to cover up but if a man stares oh well. He's seen a boob before and if he hasn't...well I'm doing him a favor. Lol

[Puzzlr]

01:51 AM on 03/13/2012

Isn't this milk best for the baby? I thought it meant the child was less prevalent to become obese, among other things. The war against women now includes nursing mothers.

[PTerrys]

01:11 AM on 03/13/2012

A bathroom to feed a baby? That's nasty. You shouldn't eat where others poop.

How about a nursing room? Or, a general area for people to handle intimate moments. If you start weeping in church, they will often escort you out, and that's not at all related to intimacy, but rather distracting people.

No one wants to see boobs out. It's not that boobs are offensive. It's the opposite, they are enticing and people want to look.

If people could handle it, people would be topless all day. And, there are people and places that are accepting of that nudist lifestyle. Why try to belong to people who are against what you believe in? There are churches that are cool with breastfeeding. Why be upset with a pastor for his beliefs. You don't have to belong.

My personal opinion (if it matters): I'm not sure. I've yet to see breastfeeding in public, but I don't tend to hang out with new mothers or wet nurses.

[Angie Daniels]

01:51 AM on 03/13/2012

I've seen it in public. Women usually have a blanket or a light covering but who cares? It's natural. This country has its priorities messed up.

[PTerrys]

01:53 AM on 03/13/2012

Agreed. We don't know what to be mad at anymore.

[firstskyla]

02:59 PM on 03/10/2012

I've raised 8 children and breastfed them all anywhere, anytime. In church, on planes, in restaurants, in movie theaters... No problems ever. I never exposed myself, though. Not a big deal to just lift up your shirt or put a light blanket over you. Just being polite and considerate plus it was more comfortable to me. I don't really want to show everyone my breasts. And I don't really care to see anyone else's. Yes, it's a natural thing and all of that, but like it or not, breasts are also seen as sexual in our society, which is also natural, so why confuse the two? If you are asked to cover up in a public place just roll your eyes and do it. If you aren't exposed and someone asks you to stop then fight like hell. Just the opinion of an old mom of eight with the sagging boobs to prove it. :)

[oklaliberal]

01:20 PM on 03/10/2012

I also find it interesting that evangelicals promote women staying home and caring for their children, but take this stance about breastfeeding. A woman can't win for losing it seems.

[hamdinge125]

10:31 PM on 03/11/2012

Most evangelicals would not take this stance. I belong to an evangelical church, and many women breastfeed there, even during services. No one has a problem with it (or if they do, they don't say anything about it).

[oklaliberal]

01:17 PM on 03/10/2012

From contraception to breastfeeding. I am seeing a pattern and mindset about women shaping in our country. Women are being used as a pawn by political parties and pundits to take the spotlight off of actual issues and focus on women. This is a Big mistake. Big. Huge. Personally I do not have a problem with breastfeeding in public or posting breastfeeding on Facebook. For the Facebook users that are offended by it they must be searching for breast to come upon this page.

[DeeTwoCents]

12:40 PM on 03/06/2012

The thought that our breasts are looked at as inappropriate when they are providing sustenance to a child is absolutely insane! Let me ask you this...how many of you would want to eat your meal standing up in a public restroom?

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

11:50 AM on 03/05/2012

Evidently, she does have that right by her state's law. AND she shouldn't 'do business with' any organization that wants to limit her rights, be it a store or a church. However, it is simply a matter of good manners and good taste. I guess one can pee in public too, but is it good manners?

I've always felt, as did my Mom, that when one chooses give birth, then they should resign themselves to doing FOR THEM for the first few years. You don't take them to movie theatres or restaurants when they disturb others. You don't change their diapers in public, throw their nasty diapers where others have to experience it. You don't allow them to run wild and bother other people. If you can't or won't train them from a very early age, then stay home until they are good citizens in public.

My mom had three children. She insisted that property and others be respected.

So, while indeed, it could be this woman's right to breastfeed in public, I have to wonder exactly why is she so adamant about it? Isn't it something that she'd prefer to do during private time with her child?

The very definition of good manners is to display respect, care and consideration of others. If her actions are not respectful others or show lack of consideration for the feelings of others, she needs to take time to assess her personal moral code.

[vtmv]

05:18 PM on 03/05/2012

Perfectly and eloquently stated.

[Teri Springer]

03:22 PM on 03/06/2012

There's a big difference between urinating in public and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding does not require the exposing of the genitals. Also, breastfeeding in public is not exposing anyone to physical contamination and does not foul the environment.

If you don't see the difference, wow.....feeding your child in the healthiest way possible vs relieving yourself in public.....seriously? You don't see a difference?

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

03:27 PM on 03/06/2012

Um, hmmm. I was wondering if someone would have a problem with simple, good manners. Guess you win the prize for poor parenting for the day. It's all about you, right? It's not about others. It's not about your child. After all, we'd not want to inconvenience YOU in the least, even though YOU are the one who chose to have a child and YOU seem unwilling to be a good parent and spent quality private time with your child at such a time.

Bet you take your kid to restaurants at 9 PM too, and annoy other diners with your screaming baby? It would appear you're just another selfish individual who is a poor parent.

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

11:36 AM on 03/05/2012

Well, this is what she gets for thinking religion cares about HER. If women would abandon institutions who engage in actions that harm women, then that would put an end to these religions freak organizations.