Last week, Swedish mom of two Natashja Blomberg took over her country's Twitter account and started a very public "breastfeeding riot."
Blomberg had every right to control the national account. As part of their "Curators of Sweden" project, a new citizen is elected to run the feed every week. Sweden's representatives are the first to do something like this -- their Twitter has the self-proclaimed title of “the world’s most democratic Twitter account.”
For one week, Blomberg, a staunch supporter of women's rights, was chosen to take over and speak to approximately 28,000 followers. Her reign started March 19th. On Wednesday, March 21st, she posted a picture of herself breastfeeding with the message, "Anyone offended by this picture?" Next, she put up a photo of her feeding two babies at once and added the caption “I also tandem breastfed the brats. Great for sibling bonding! #breastfeedingriot”.
According to The Local, Blomberg used the medium to rid Sweden of ignorance on the topic. She tweeted:
The photos prompted supporters to share their views on breastfeeding in public. One advocate tweeted:
Another said:
A U.K. tweeter remarked:
Since one of the Curator's responsibilities is to share diverse opinions, Inger Ridderstolpe, project manager with Sweden.se, said she's pleased with Natashja's work. It isn't surprising that she used this role to stir controversy, either –- Natashja calls herself a feminist who isn't afraid to speak up.
"We want curators that like to debate and that like to have a dialogue with their followers… Equality is something Sweden like to promote and we're happy that she does it in her way," Ridderstolpe told The Local.
The breastfeeding debate isn't unique to Sweden, however. An October survey from the baby product manufacturer, Philips Avent, found that that three out of four 18- to 22-year-olds in Sweden believe that breastfeeding moms should cover up while nursing in public. Though the majority, 85%, was in favor of breastfeeding, most thought it best to do in private.
Women in the U.S. are a bit more lenient, but still, a large percent, 47%, admit that seeing moms breastfeed in public make them feel uncomfortable, an August study from TheKnot.com found. American moms and supporters have held "nurse-ins" to educate naysayers about breastfeeding. So far, nursing moms have congregated to feed their babies in Target stores, outside Facebook's headquarters, and in front of a Georgia State Courthouse.
Is Blomberg igniting an international movement? The Local points out that, "While the actual influence of Blomberg's tweeting is impossible to measure, she continues to speak her mind, and in terms of breastfeeding at least, has some advice for those who don’t support her ideals."