Disneyland Paris apologises after mother stopped from breastfeeding at the park
Disneyland Paris, Europe's biggest tourist attraction, has apologised to a mother after two members of its security staff ordered her to stop breastfeeding her baby in public.
Another female visitor drew attention to the incident on Sunday, tweeting indignantly that two security agents had "prevented a mother from breastfeeding her two-year-old baby on the grounds that it shocked foreign clients. In France, in July 2021!"
The tweet was accompanied by a picture of the two agents standing over two women sitting on a bench, one of them holding a small baby. In another tweet, the witness said the mother was Australian.
Nous regrettons profondément cette situation et présentons de nouveau nos sincères excuses à la maman concernée. La demande qui lui a été faite n’est pas en phase avec notre règlement intérieur et nos valeurs. Il n’y a aucune restriction sur l’allaitement à Disneyland Paris (1/2)
— Disneyland Paris (@DisneylandParis) July 6, 2021
Responding to the messages, on which the French government was copied, Disneyland said Tuesday it "profoundly regrets this situation and present once more our apologies to the mother in question".
The agents' actions were "not compatible with our regulations and our values", it said, insisting "there is no restriction on breastfeeding at Disneyland Paris".
It also added that it offered "different places" at the site "for those who prefer a dedicated place" to nurse their children.
In its first Twitter response to the incident on Monday, Disneyland had struck an unapologetic tone, saying only that mothers had the use of special rooms "with suitable and comfortable material such as special breastfeeding seats".
Bonjour, Disneyland Paris met à disposition des mamans, le BABY CARE CENTER avec du matériel adapté et confortable comme notamment des sièges spécial allaitement.
— Disneyland Paris (@DisneylandParis) July 5, 2021
It changed its tune after being castigated on Twitter by France's minister for citizenship, Marlene Schiappa, who was previously minister for gender equality.
"Dear @DisneylandParis, breastfeeding a baby is not an offence. It's good that you have dedicated rooms but no-one knows when and where a baby will be hungry," she wrote.
Cher @DisneylandParis
Allaiter un bébé n’est pas un délit. Que vous ayez des salles dédiées c’est bien, mais on ne décide pas où et quand un bébé va avoir faim. Ne vous mettez pas vous aussi à stigmatiser les mères, c’est assez dur comme ça partout ailleurs.
Merci d’avance. https://t.co/kaSwVUVIEM
— 🇫🇷 MarleneSchiappa (@MarleneSchiappa) July 6, 2021
"Don't you also start stigmatising mothers, it's hard enough like that elsewhere," she added.
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Another female visitor drew attention to the incident on Sunday, tweeting indignantly that two security agents had "prevented a mother from breastfeeding her two-year-old baby on the grounds that it shocked foreign clients. In France, in July 2021!"
The tweet was accompanied by a picture of the two agents standing over two women sitting on a bench, one of them holding a small baby. In another tweet, the witness said the mother was Australian.
Nous regrettons profondément cette situation et présentons de nouveau nos sincères excuses à la maman concernée. La demande qui lui a été faite n’est pas en phase avec notre règlement intérieur et nos valeurs. Il n’y a aucune restriction sur l’allaitement à Disneyland Paris (1/2)
— Disneyland Paris (@DisneylandParis) July 6, 2021
Responding to the messages, on which the French government was copied, Disneyland said Tuesday it "profoundly regrets this situation and present once more our apologies to the mother in question".
The agents' actions were "not compatible with our regulations and our values", it said, insisting "there is no restriction on breastfeeding at Disneyland Paris".
It also added that it offered "different places" at the site "for those who prefer a dedicated place" to nurse their children.
In its first Twitter response to the incident on Monday, Disneyland had struck an unapologetic tone, saying only that mothers had the use of special rooms "with suitable and comfortable material such as special breastfeeding seats".
Bonjour, Disneyland Paris met à disposition des mamans, le BABY CARE CENTER avec du matériel adapté et confortable comme notamment des sièges spécial allaitement.
— Disneyland Paris (@DisneylandParis) July 5, 2021
It changed its tune after being castigated on Twitter by France's minister for citizenship, Marlene Schiappa, who was previously minister for gender equality.
"Dear @DisneylandParis, breastfeeding a baby is not an offence. It's good that you have dedicated rooms but no-one knows when and where a baby will be hungry," she wrote.
Cher @DisneylandParis
— 🇫🇷 MarleneSchiappa (@MarleneSchiappa) July 6, 2021
Allaiter un bébé n’est pas un délit. Que vous ayez des salles dédiées c’est bien, mais on ne décide pas où et quand un bébé va avoir faim. Ne vous mettez pas vous aussi à stigmatiser les mères, c’est assez dur comme ça partout ailleurs.
Merci d’avance. https://t.co/kaSwVUVIEM
"Don't you also start stigmatising mothers, it's hard enough like that elsewhere," she added.
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