The right of mothers to breastfeed in public has been legally protected in Australia for over 40 years. But for women like Dr. Elise Turner, that protection means little when staff still ask you to leave for quietly expressing milk under your shirt.
The Gold Coast-based women’s health GP, who specializes in fertility, pregnancy, menopause, and newborn care, made headlines after she posted a now-viral video accusing Virgin Australia of discrimination.
Turner was traveling as a business-class passenger when she was told she would have to stop pumping or pay $100 to use a private meeting room. Otherwise, she’d need to move to a public toilet.
The incident left Turner furious, not just as a mother, but as a medical professional. Now, speaking exclusively with Bored Panda, she’s speaking out against the discrimination breastfeeding mothers face every day.
A women’s health doctor went viral after a Virgin Australia staffer demanded she go to the bathroom to express milk
Image credits: Unsplash/Getty
In Australia, breastfeeding is a legally protected right under the S*x Discrimination Act of 1984, a fact Dr. Turner had to remind the Virgin Australia staffer during their confrontation to no avail.
“Laws can’t instantly rewrite culture,” the doctor said, lamenting that the Act has done little to stop a gap between the law and the lived reality of many women from widening.
“On paper, the right to breastfeed in public is crystal clear, and this includes expressing milk. But in reality, old-fashioned attitudes about modesty, shame, and the objectification of breasts still hang around.”
Image credits: Dr Elise
This latter point, Dr. Turner states, is at the crux of the issue.
“We’ve been conditioned to see breasts as purely s*xual, so when someone sees a baby or an expression pump attached to one, they don’t know how to process it,” she explained.
“But the problem isn’t the mother—it’s society. If we can get comfortable with billboards selling bras or beer using cleavage, surely we can handle a baby having their lunch.”
The doctor revealed that many of her patients have stopped breastfeeding earlier out of shame
Image credits: Virgin Australia
Even before she became a parent herself, Dr. Turner was keenly aware of the struggles mothers face when breastfeeding, with some going as far as to forego their health and the wellbeing of their children just to avoid the shame being placed upon them.
“I’ve had women tell me they’ve been glared at, asked to cover up, or even told off by strangers. Some stop breastfeeding earlier than they wanted to, just to avoid that kind of confrontation. It’s outrageous,” the women’s health professional said.
Image credits: Unsplash/Jordan González
“These women are literally feeding their baby, yet they’re treated as if they’ve done something wrong. The irony is, the people who are offended are usually the ones making a scene, not the mums quietly nursing their babies.”
Dr. Turner explained how, from a medical perspective, breastfeeding is one of the best things a mother can do for their babies, a fact supported by several studies.
Breastfeeding has positive long-term consequences for both the baby and the mother
Image credits: Unsplash/Getty
Breastfeeding is incredibly important, she added. Not only does it feed the child, but it offers substantial health benefits for both the baby and the mother.
For the baby, it provides the ideal balance of fats, sugars, water, protein, and vitamins. It also protects it from several illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes, leukemia, and obesity.
A significant body of research also indicates a positive association between breastfeeding and a child’s IQ.
For instance, a 2015 meta-analysis of 17 studies, which included over 17,000 children, found that on average, breastfed children scored 3.5 points higher on intelligence tests.
Image credits: Dr Elise
For the mother, it supports their long-term health years down the road, lowering the risk of breast, ovarian, endometrial, and thyroid cancer. It also protects them from diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and high cholesterol.
Breastfeeding mothers also recover quicker from childbirth. This is due to the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps the uterus contract after delivery.
In other words, the stigma surrounding public breastfeeding puts the momentary comfort of a stranger above the long-term health of both the mother and the baby.
Polls show global trend towards acceptance, but significant differences remain by country and culture
Image credits: Unsplash/Hrant Khachatryan
“If mothers feel judged or unwelcome in public, it can create enormous stress and even shorten how long they breastfeed,” Dr. Turner said.
“Supporting mothers to feed anywhere, anytime, is about giving babies the best start in life—and about letting parents actually leave the house once in a while.”
An analysis of recent polls on public breastfeeding shows that there’s a global trend toward increased acceptance, but significant differences remain by country and culture.
In the US, at least 30% of those interviewed in a 2021 poll expressed being unsure or outright against the practice.
Image credits: Unsplash/Jaye Haych
For them, Dr. Turner has a simple question:
“Would you prepare your lunch in a public toilet? Do you expect bottle-fed babies to hide away in a bathroom too? Because that’s what you’re asking of breastfeeding mothers,” she said.
“No parent should be made to feel they’re doing something wrong by feeding their child.
I support mothers who prefer the option of privacy; it’s down to personal preference. But it should be the preference of the mother at her own choice, not because of societal expectation or fear of discrimination.”
The first step, the doctor said, is letting mothers know they are welcome and safe
Image credits: Instagram/dreliseturner
While awareness on the importance of public breastfeeding has grown, Dr. Turner believes we still have a long way to go.
“I’d love to see breastfeeding become so normalised that no one even blinks when a mother feeds or wears a pump in public—it’s just part of daily life.”
She explained that, on a practical level, there should be more visible breastfeeding-friendly inclusive spaces, workplaces with clear policies, and signs that let mothers know that they are welcome.
“At the end of the day, what mothers really want isn’t a special room. It’s to be able to feed their baby without feeling like they’ve committed a crime,” Dr. Turner said.
“If we can celebrate the introduction of pets on planes, we can certainly celebrate a mum who is just trying to do her best.”
“Breastfeeding should be celebrated.” Netizens praised the doctor for voicing her concerns
Follow Us
