Sex Discrimination Commissioner welcomes change of heart on breastfeeding advertisement
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward has welcomed the prompt action by the Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations to remove a PG rating from a community service announcement about breastfeeding.
FACTS re-classified the advertisement to G today.
Describing the move as a victory for common sense, Ms Goward said it was hard to imagine that a picture of a woman feeding a child could be deemed inappropriate for certain age groups and restricted in its screening times.
"Breastfeeding is not something to be hidden from view," said Ms Goward. "We are trying to discourage discrimination against breastfeeding women. The Federal Attorney-General recently introduced a Bill to parliament to prevent people discriminating against breastfeeding women."
"So it does seem strange to encourage women to breastfeed when and where they choose - "live" so to speak - but to censor an advertisement showing the same thing."
The Sex Discrimination Amendment Bill (No.2) 2001, introduced on 14 February 2002, makes it clear that discriminating against a breastfeeding woman is sex discrimination.
Media contact: Janine MacDonald (02) 9284 9880 or 0408 469 347
Last updated 20 March 2002.
