Breastfeeding Rights Rally in Ontario on November 7, 2008
November 6, 2008 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under activism, breastfeeding, law
Image by _shward_ of past breastfeeding rally
You are invited to a breastfeeding rights rally on Friday, November 7, 2008, in Newmarket, Ontario.
The Breastfeeding Discrimination Incident
Nursing mother Cinira Longuinho explains:
I was breastfeeding my daughter on the steps of the swimming pool when Ms. Ellie Karkouti, the owner of the facility, came to speak with me. Ms. Karkouti said they had one complaint and that I could not breastfeed my daughter in the swimming pool. She said if I wanted to breastfeed I would have use the changeroom. I tried to say that based on the law I had the right to breastfeed in public places but Ms. Karkouti said that she was the owner and I could only breastfeed in the changeroom. After that I stopped breastfeeding. Ms. Ellie Karkouti left. I stayed in the swimming pool.
It was the first time I have suffered discrimination in my life! I wanted to cry so bad. I tried to pretend this has never happened. My daughter kept asking to nurse and I denied her while we were in the pool. My heart was broken. I did not know what to do. I was completely sad, lost and numb.
Only after a few hours, I believe I started to think clearly again.
I informed the group of families registered for this swim time at The Aquacentre about the terrible episode. The leader of this activity, Carol-Anne Brockington, sent an email to The Aquacentre asking for an apology. Their feedback was “At no point did we discriminate against the act of breastfeeding.” They did not offer any apology.
After several emails of support from mothers ready to fight for the right to breastfeed, we have decided to organize a Breastfeeding Rights Rally, a peaceful nurse-in for Friday, November 7th in The Aquacentre at 2:30pm.
Details of the Rally
Friday Nov 7th, The Aquacentre Pool at 2:30-3:30pm
1215 Stellar Dr., Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B8
Phone: 905 895 2782, Fax: 905 853 4229,
email: info@aquacentrenewmarket.com and ellie@trinityrehab.com
Longuinho adds:
Please inform as many people as you can about this discrimination episode and the nurse-in…. Also, everybody is welcome to the peaceful nurse-in, you do not have to breastfeed to participate! All support is welcome! If you are unable to attend the nurse-in personally please feel free to email, phone or fax the facility to voice your concerns over this incident and show your support of breastfeeding rights – anywhere, anytime!
Unfortunately, the Aquacentre in Newmarket is a private facility that charges to use the pool. For this reason, to be able to participate in the Breastfeeding Rights Rally it is required that you pay the fee of $5.25 per swimmer. I wish it was not necessary to pay but the law requests it. We also welcome supporters that would like to be outside with signs. Please bring your own sign! Supporters that will be outside do not need to pay any fee.
Thank you Angela, for clarifying – on all points.
I’m tired of people (and specifically Meg) thinking that the only reason to go the OHRC is to seek monetary compensation – the OHRC does not just award monetary compensation – sometimes it’s just an apology, sometimes a new “policy” will be put in place, it all depends on the nature of the complaint and what the complainant wants (if they “win”) and what is reasonable given the specifics of each case. I would assume that monetary compensation, beyond reasonable costs, would only be awarded if there was intent to harm, or the actions after the fact were aggregious enough to warrant it. But I don’t assume that if someone files a complaint they are after money – some people – many people – in this world want to make it better in the future.
Maybe Cinira has not asked for any extra – and that’s why she hasn’t said she’ll give it to charity – she can’t give what she doesn’t have, maybe her lawyer (if she even has one) has told her to shut up – maybe she’s beyond reading the crap that some people are spouting on the net and/or doesn’t feel the need to justify herself to strangers. I don’t know why Cinira is silent but if I was up against people with such narrow/I’m right because I said so views I hope I wouldn’t bother sinking to their level either.
And maybe, just maybe, the fact that, despite the negative comments, Cinira is still going forward says something about her and her group… maybe she and her supporters know this is something worth fighting for. I’m glad there are those out there willing to put themselves through a nightmare to help ensure that others don’t have to face such discrimination. It’s how the world gets better – the more people who stand up to wrongs the less people who will wrong others.