December 3rd, 2009
An Open Letter to Target Regarding Breastfeeding Discrimination
December 3, 2009
Gregg Steinhafel
Chairman, President and CEO
Target Corporation
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Dear Mr. Steinhafel,
Earlier this week Michigan mother, Mary Martinez, made headlines when Target security personnel harassed her for breastfeeding her child in your Harper Woods Target store. Security personnel incorrectly told this mother that what she was doing was “illegal” and they called the police on her. Police confirmed that the mother was in the right, but the humiliation she was subjected to during this incident is inexcusable.
Mothers around the world have heard this story, even starting a Facebook group called “We Support Mary”. This incident has not gone unnoticed, and we are greatly disappointed that a company that prides itself on community involvement would discriminate against a local mother doing the best for her child.
While Michigan law may not have specific language protecting a mother’s right to nurse in your store, many other states do have such language. In my home state of Illinois, “the law provides that a mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, public or private”, and includes an enforcement provision which allows a mother to seek legal recourse against any establishment which would try to deny her that right. Section 15 of the “Right to Breastfeed Act” even states that “if the woman prevails in her suit, she shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and reasonable expenses of litigation.”
I think it is important for the Target corporation to understand that what this security guard did was not only terrible customer service, but a violation of this mother and child’s basic human right to feed. While you may contend that this was an isolated incident, it does not reflect well on the training your employees receive. On behalf of mothers everywhere, I ask that you train every Target employee on the rights of nursing mothers, and adopt a formal breastfeeding policy to support these valued customers. I would also encourage you to post the international breasfeeding symbol in your stores so nursing mothers know they are welcome. If even Walmart has a formal policy, surely Target can too.
Regards,
Gina Crosley-Corcoran
Nursing Mother and Activist
Click to Leave a Comment
Well said – I hope Target corrects their obviously deficient training policy soon so no other mother will experience something like this.
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YOU GO GIRL! THANKS for writing this!! Well written, and needs to be said– let us know if you hear anything from them!
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Not to mention… this is not an isolated incedent. Target kicked a woman out of another store in 2006 for nursing INSIDE a changing room. Claiming it was unsanitary. Come on Target, reprimand and train your people!
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Legal issues aside…what kind of ass harasses a mother feeding her baby?
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Hear hear! This is a great letter, Gina. I was extremely shocked and dismayed to hear that law enforcement was called on a breastfeeding mother. But I was every more dismayed to hear Target’s response. 
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I know a target security guy neat Baltimore. I’ll have to ask him if they are getting any new training from Target HQ about this.
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When my son was only a few months old I went to a Target store with my mom. I sat on one of the benches OUTSIDE to nurse him. I had on a t-shirt, a half tank top to cover my belly (for my own comfort), and a nursing cover. There were 3 younger employees outside a few yards away on break and they kept giving me dirty looks and whispering to each other. I was waiting for one of them to say something to me…they are lucky they never did. Not only does NJ law say that I can nurse my child wherever I am legally allowed to be, it says that anyone who asks that I leave or cover up will be fined. I hope your letter has an impact.
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Good one!
I’m sure your last sentence will push the right button ^^
Did you send this letter to their HQ?
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[...] This post was Twitted by Kblogger [...]
This is simply unacceptable! How can such a large corporation which caters to families (in the clothes, toys, furniture, etc.) not have trained their workers better? Thank goodness the police were spot on and confirmed that the mother was right. And good for the mother to stand up for herself!
I am happy to say that I have breastfeed numerous times in and just outside of my local Target. Maryland law is 100% behind me, and I have not even noticed dirty looks. Maybe the people who trained those employees should go around to other locations.
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why did you erase my post? can you not stand to hear dissent?
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Gabriella–
I think you’re lost. Perhaps you should escort yourself home and stay there? It’s idiotic to expect anyone, even a nursing baby, to eat in the bathroom.
Here’s an idea…don’t gawk at nursing mothers, then you don’t have to see their “tits” and they don’t have to look at your unappreciative scowling.
Heather (qtberryhead)´s last blog ..Blog Snob 
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Oh my god Gabriella, you are SO 100% WRONG about the law it is embarrassing. My right to breastfeed in public (even in target! ) is PROTECTED BY LAW and in my state I can SUE Target if they tried to ask me to stop. YOU need to go look up the law. You’re about to be completely humiliated. I’m also deleting your swearing from my site as, much like your ignorance of the LAW, you are clearly ignorant of my clearly written comment policy.
TheFeministBreeder´s last blog ..VBAC Access is a Human Rights Issue
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Why has this post got so many idiots responding now? Is this what happens when you’re on TV??
Dear Dummies:
Your points are not factual (knowing a lawyer does not make you knowledgeable– I know one, too), you are behaving like chiildren, and your opinions are wasted on us.
Educated women are not swayed but such nonsense, so please be quiet and stop spamming us with your ignorance.
kthxbai
Colleen Curry, CD (DONA)´s last blog ..Emergency Childbirth, Gregory White
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Well, i don’t have babies yet and think breastfeeding should be done its good for the baby. However, I feel some women get so militant about feeding in public to prove some point. I have fantastic breasts, and I personally would not feel comfortable lobbing out a boob for all the world to see me feed. I just think it is sacred and should be done in a sacred space not in the snack lounge at Target. Target should be ashamed of themselves but I don’t think public breastfeeding should be encouraged there are too many perverts out there too that probably get off on it, I think it should involve some modesty at least. I really don’t like looking at other women’s breast hanging out-sans cover and having to be uncomfortable where to look. We’re in public for christsakes. That’s my opinion for now although it might change. it just makes me uncomfortable. I wouldn’t do it in front of male members of my family or friends so why would i do it in front of strangers?
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@GiGi – you have a weird idea of what a nursing mother looks like. THIS is what breastfeeding a baby looks like – http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/vel08/uploaded_images/breastfeeding-mom-729509.jpg
Tell me – exactly which part of her breast is exposed? Have you seriously EVER seen a woman’s nipple in public? I guarantee you see more offensive things shown on the posters in the swimsuit aisle at Target than the picture above.
Suffice to say, this is probably one of those things you’d have to have children to understand. When you do have kids, come back here and tell us whether you enjoy feeding them in a disgusting smelling bathroom, or being forced to leave the store every time the child cries.
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Listen, I want to hear from you - I really do. And if you're being nice to me, I encourage you to leave eleventy-billion comments. But for realzies - don't be mean to me or anybody else here. I mean seriously, do not make me use the delete button, because I will. Oh, I will.
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