Ladies and gentlemen, once again mothers are unable to feed their children in peace.
Victorian Judge, Mark Gamble, is facing criticism (and rightfully so) for kicking not only one, but two seperate woman out of court for breastfeeding.
And you’d think “hmmm if they’re allowed to breastfeed in parliament, surely they’re able to breastfeed in court,” NOPE. Not even though the child was visibly hungry and unsettled, the mothers were kicked to the curb.
The Guardian reports that this week a woman entered court with a crying baby and was asked to leave by defence barrister Ian Hill KC.
The woman and her child returned to the courtroom while Gamble spoke to lawyers on what to do in these circumstances.
“The lady concerned has just exposed her breast and is breastfeeding the baby in court as we speak,” Gamble said. “You might want to have a look behind you so you can gauge what we’re dealing with.”
Ultimately, the woman and her child were ejected from court with Gamble saying, “Madam, I’m sorry, but I am going to have to ask you to leave the court with your baby.”
Again, this isn’t the first time that Gamble had kicked a woman out for doing a natural parental duty.
Mark received a lot of flak literally last week for kicking a woman out for the same reason.
In regards to the first incident, Gamble addressed the jury last Friday, saying that his actions were “self-explanatory.”
“What I [told the mother] was this – ‘Madam, you will not be permitted to breastfeed a baby in court. I’m sorry. I will have to ask you to leave. It will be a distraction for the jury at the very least’,” Gamble said to the jury. “I am telling you this because it is something that has attracted some media publicity and I think you need to know exactly what it was that I said and why I said it.”
Speaking with The Guardian, a spokesperson for state attorney-general of Victoria Jaclyn Symes said, “These concerning reports are a matter for the county court… However, no woman deserves to be shamed and humiliated for public breastfeeding.”
It’s a huge joke that something that is so natural and human can be seen as “distracting.”
Breastfeeding is one of the most human things anyone can do, and it’s so disappointing that mothers cannot do it in peace and are continuing to face backlash for literally just feeding their kids.
It’s quite suss that it’s two males who had an issue with this… someone fix this mindset ASAP.
