The photo above is from a photo shoot by Bryna Sigurdardottir Photography. Sgt. Terran Echegoyen McCabe and Staff Sgt. Christina Luna, partook in this shoot to promote a network for service connected mothers, called Mom2Mom.
Many who have viewed this photo are in an outrage and have claimed that these photos are tarnishing the military uniform.
Per Mother Jones Magazine, the military actually allows lactating mothers to defer deployments by 4-12 months. Some branches allow break periods for women to breastfeed while working. Even with this consideration there are many who are appalled at the above image.
Mother Jones national security reporter Adam Weinstein, shares a quote from a commenter who responded to the photo at Air Force Times.
"'Service before self' is one of the three AF core values. People know of the core values before they even sign the contract to come into the AF. if you cannot fulfill this, you are welcome to remain a civilian."
This is just another aspect of patriarchy within the military system. Those pushing against breastfeeding women on active duty in the military are subscribing to what gender studies professor, Hugo Schwyzer, refers to as "the myth of male weakness." This is language that I have borrowed from Dr. Schwyzer time and time again.
Men who claim that viewing a mother breastfeeding her child is an act of dishonor or a titillating distraction from combat duties, are giving into the idea that all heterosexual men cannot help but stare or lust. And rather than checking out their own mindset or practicing empathy rather than shame, it is simpler to blame women.
Another pressure from the patriarchal system is that women in all male dominated spaces often have to fight to maintain a level of respect. In an environment where men and women are expected to present themselves as fearless, competitive, ambitious, daring, strong, and even angry and violent; women are particularly aware of how they compare to their male counterparts.
To appear feminine in anyway is surely a sign of weakness. To handle female business such as dealing with menses, breastfeeding, or simply walking around with female features, is less macho in the world of big guns and big egos.
Being a mother is not an easy task. Being a mother AND a member of the military is an impressive feat. But rather than acknowledging this, there are too many who insist that women complicate or hinder goals of successful combat.
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