Breastfeeding Mom Learns Victoria's Secret Doesn't Always Support Boobs

Breastfeeding Mom Learns Victoria's Secret Doesn't Always Support Boobs

Here we go again.

Fox7 reports that when Ashley Clawson asked a Victoria's Secret employee if she could nurse her child in a dressing room, she was not only denied, but directed to go to the nearest alleyway. The employee allegedly claimed "no one usually goes there." Adding insult to injury, Clawson had just spent $150 at the store.

"I was humiliated by the whole thing," Clawson told Fox. "Once your child is hungry, there's no going back."

Texas law -- much like other similar state laws -- makes it clear that women are a permitted to breastfeed in any public or private location where the mother is authorized to be.

So, when Clawson got home she decided to air her grievances on her Facebook page. She wrote:

"I have to blast Victoria's Secret at the Domain for telling me I wasn't allowed to nurse my very hungry, fussy son in their fitting room after I spent a fair amount in their store. She actually told me to go outside and walk down an alley where no one 'usually' goes and nurse him. Seriously?!? Lost a customer for sure."

She also filed two complaints to which they told her she'd be receiving something in the mail.

Victoria's Secret released the following statement to the station:

"We take this issue very seriously. We have a longstanding policy permitting mothers to nurse their children in our stores and we are sorry that it was not followed in this case. We have apologized to Ms. Clawson, and we are taking actions to ensure all associates understand our policy that welcomes mothers to breastfeed in our stores."

Despite taking the issue seriously, this isn't the first time Victoria's Secret has been under fire for trying to deter moms from nursing in its stores. A Wisconsin mother was told in 2006 to use the employee restroom. The spokesperson at the time, Anthony Hebron, said that Victoria's Secret has a long standing policy for allowing mothers to breastfeed in the store. Moms organized a nurse-in at the store in response.

"I do think that Victoria's Secret needs to train their employees better on the breastfeeding policy and know the laws on it," Clawson said. And perhaps treat breasts with a little more respect.

"The posters and everything are just women showing their breasts and obviously to Victoria's Secret in my eyes, it's looked at as a play toy. Not necessarily, means for you know nursing your child, which is why we have breasts to begin with."

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