Front page!!

This is the article that appeared in The State newspaper in 2005. It was a very interesting turn of events that led me to the front page of South Carolina's largest newspaper. I had become involved in the South Carolina Breastfeeding Action Committee, mainly because I was the Area Coordinator of Leaders for La Leche League of South Carolina and a post-partum nurse. I also happened to be pregnant and nursing a baby during this year long process.

I was sent an email to let me know that my name had been given to a reporter who wanted to do a story about the proposed bill. I had already spoken on a couple of expert panels and had a pretty good idea of what to say. When the reporter called me, he started asking the usual questions. I tried very hard to answer them in an articulate and interesting way. After a few minutes of talking, he laughed and said he didn't know much about children or breastfeeding. He didn't have any kids. I laughed, too. I finally said, "will you let me ramble for a little bit? I think I know what you want to try to say." After a few minutes of rambling, he got very excited. He then started asking very good questions. He called me back a little while later and asked if I knew anyone who would pose for a picture while breastfeeding. Well, I happened to be nursing my own baby. The next thing I know, I am meeting a photographer at a friend's house for a photo shoot.

This turned out to be an incredibly intense day for me. I had, up until this point, tried to be fairly private about my parenting/nursing/family beliefs. I had just joined a new church, and I knew that it was not very child friendly. I had only been out of nursing school for a little over a year. I was trying very hard to fly under the radar and just take care of my kids. I had absolutely no intention of becoming a spokesperson for anything. I started becoming a little nervous about this story that I expected to get tucked into a second or third Metro section article. I got even more nervous when I volunteered to pose for a picture. Can you imagine what I felt like when I opened up the newspaper and saw my picture on the front page?!? My dad had never even seen my nurse a baby!

It was one of those moments that I realized that I did not have much of a choice any more. People would know where I stand, and I had to be ok with that. My days of flying under any radar would be over. It would eventually make me a target. Usually, when one works towards being well differentiated, it threatens other people and they react strongly. I think this keeps many people from expressing their beliefs, it has kept me quiet for many months now.

I am having a hard time with all of the ruckus surrounding the Chic-fil-a mess. I am happy to see people giving their money to a business they support. I think this is one of those things that makes this country great. What is nagging me is my own silence. I've kept my mouth shut for fear of alienating my friends who believe differently. This is a hotly debated issue, and I really don't care what you believe either way.

That said, my brother is gay. I've known since he was 4 years old that *something* was different. I've also watched him struggle his whole life being judged by people and told he was going to hell, or depraved or whatever. I've even been guilty of judging him and wondering "Why?".

Jesus commanded us to love one another. That is all. I love my LGTB friends, and I love the ones condemning them. I love you all.