Monday, February 9, 2015

Is Firing a Woman for Public Breastfeeding Really Gender Discrimination?

According to the US Supreme Court the answer is 'no.' But on what grounds is it sufficient to assume that a woman CAN indeed be fired for breastfeeding at work without it being considered a case of sex discrimination?

Nationwide employee Angela Ames was denied a place to breastfeed at work after returning from maternity leave and upon complaining was forced to resign with the message, "just go home and be with your babies." After taking the case to court on several occasions, finally leading to the Supreme Court, it was ruled that Ames forced resignation was not sex discrimination due to the fact that men can also lactate. The ruling of this case truly sheds a light on the discriminatory workplace policies that do not efficiently accommodate pregnancies or motherhood, which in itself, exposes the sex discrimination and bias against women on a multi-institutional level.

The biggest question raised by this case is: how can the US Supreme Court rule that the case is NOT an act of sex discrimination? A good argument that supports Angela Ames claim for sex discrimination is as follows:

  • Schemas-also known as webs of related ideas, characteristics, etc. would suggest that the idea of breastfeeding would (primarily) be connected to ideas of pregnancy, women and motherhood, all of which are ideas connected to the female sex due to the nature of women being pregnant and becoming mothers.
    • Although men can indeed lactate, men cannot become pregnant, and are typically thought of as "father" types rather than "mothers" which makes it more difficult to categorize the idea of "breastfeeding" with "males. 
Women who are also mothers are largely stereotyped, or widely culturally idealized or believed, as staying at home and taking care of families. Because of stereotype of mothers, the comment made by Ames then boss to "go home and be with your babies," can be directly attributed to the stereotypical, patriarchal idea that it is a woman's duty to stay and home and take care of the house work and family which can clearly be labeled prejudice against women that cause them to be labeled inferior to males in the workplace, and society as a whole.

Feel free to leave your comments, thoughts, opinions, or questions on this case in the comment section and check out the latest article on this case if interested in hearing more:
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/court-rules-firing-mother-for-breastfeeding-isnt-110548718077.html

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