It seems like breastfeeding in public is a never-ending debate, even though it shouldn't be, but the argument recently got kicked up a notch. After two women were asked to leave their local pool for breastfeeding in the water, journalist Virginia Blackburn appeared on the British morning show, This Morning, where she got real about her opinion on the matter. Not only does she think breastfeeding in public is wrong, but she also compared it to public urination.
The drama started after two moms came on the morning show, speaking out about being asked to leave a public pool for breastfeeding.
After the frustrating incident, Natalie Forester and Chloe Hattersley were retelling the story of how Natalie was feeding her son during a baby swimming class, which resulted in them being kicked out.
Both Natalie and Chloe were upset with how the situation was handled. Little did they know that Virginia was only going to add more fuel to their fire.
"It's on a level with peeing in public," Virginia responded.
Virginia, who isn't a mom herself and is "by choice childfree," told the hosts that she is against breastfeeding in public. She argued that just because it's natural doesn't mean it's right. "You have a path that leads to increasingly antisocial behavior and I'd say it's on that path," she said.
But host Ruth Langford pushed back against the writer, saying that breastfeeding was a "natural bodily function."
"There are many natural bodily functions but we don't do them in front of other people," Virginia said. "If you are in a public place it's not necessarily something you want to see."
Virginia also clarified that she didn't care if it was the pool or anywhere else: public nursing is flat-out wrong in her opinion.
"I don't like breastfeeding in public at all," Virginia added. "There's no consideration for people around you."
Host Eamonn Holmes also reminded Virginia that breastfeeding in public is completely legal, but she again told him that "it's not about what's legal or illegal; it's about consideration for other people."
Of course, the internet had some feelings about the interview.
Many viewers were p*ssed at Virginia, feeling like she had judged them for doing what was natural to them.
One Twitter user was "livid" at the host. "It this woman for real?" she wrote.
"I've never heard anything so ridiculous in my life!" another user added.
"A breast is just another CONTAINER for a baby's food!" said this user.
And although this one particular person felt like breastfeeding was "inconsiderate," it's important to remember that no matter how or where you choose to feed your child, that's all that breastfeeding is — feeding your baby.
