May I, as a man, be allowed to make a simple observation about the breast-feeding issue?
It seems to me the two sides (those for and against breast-feeding in public) may actually be writing about two different issues. Nothing has been said about whether or not the woman bares her breast to public view in the process.
Several correspondents have said it is possible to breast-feed 'discreetly', without being specific. I have seen breast-feeding in public done in two quite different ways - with the baby and the mother's breast covered by a shawl or towel, and with the breast exposed for the whole of the time the child is feeding. The former I find quite acceptable. The latter I find only marginally more acceptable than a woman 'flashing' her breast for other reasons.
I think most people, on both sides of this divide, would agree that breast-feeding in general is something that should be encouraged.
That being the case, perhaps both sides could also agree that if breast-feeding in public is done in such a way that the breast is not exposed, it should be tolerated.
However, if the breast is exposed, especially for a prolonged period, this should be treated like any other case of public partial nudity: that is, the woman should be asked to cover up, or move to a more private place.
