By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A MOTHER is taking a stand against a Dandenong cafe that is alleged to have ejected her from the premises for breastfeeding.
Kalyan Ky said she was left “astonished” this month when a staff member at Cloud Cafe asked her to leave for “exposing” herself while feeding her daughter Sophia at a table.
“It made me feel horrible,”Ms Ky said. “It was painful and humiliating.” She intends to lodge a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.
Last week, she called on the cafe to apologise to her and to the Australian Breastfeeding Assoc-iation — which confirmed that prevention of public breastfeeding was illegal. “I just want to have them educated. I shouldn’t be ashamed of breastfeeding in public,” Ms Ky said.
Cloud Cafe’s management did not return the Journal’s calls. The Dandenong Plaza cafe closed down its Facebook site after at least one abusive post on the issue last Monday.
Dandenong Plaza has been given a five-star rating by ABA for its parent room.
Dandenong-based ABA counsellor Yvette O’Dowd said the association had moved its state office to Dandenong as a recognised area needing support. She said migrant women were confused by a mixture of messages from their homeland and Australia.
Ms O’Dowd said some migrant women from Africa assumed public breastfeeding was illegal because they didn’t see it happening as often as in their homelands.
The Maternal and Child Health Services Annual Report 2010-11 stated that Greater Dandenong mothers were fully breastfeeding 70.5 per cent of babies on discharge at hospital in 2010-11.
That figure drops to 30.5 per cent at age six months. The rates are the lowest in Melbourne’s south and south-east, aside from Casey (23 per cent).
As part of its education program, the ABA handed out ‘Breastfeeding Welcome Here’ stickers and kits to central Dandenong businesses.
Cloud Cafe did not display such a sticker last week.
Breastfeeding: Why I made a stand
When I was awarded Young Achiever of the Year in 2011, I felt very honoured and queried why I was selected.
In the speech that was read out on Australia Day, it was highlighted that I had encouraged young people to speak up. I hold that notion very true to my heart.
My parents and their friends grew up in the Pol Pot era when speaking up was the most dangerous thing you could do.
We are fortunate that in Australia, especially in this very multicultural wonderland of CGD, it’s encouraged .th.th. and believe me, even the smallest voice is heard.
By simply speaking up about the issues that have concerned me, I have had the opportunity to be on numerous advisory boards including the Multicultural Multifaith Youth Network and the Regional Advisory Council. The issues my colleagues and I have raised have led to positive change in our community.
Over the past few years, I have been working on refining an idea to help young people set the record straight on who they are, and this has led to the creation of the faith ‘n’ culture creative encyclopaedia – an opportunity for young people to write, sing, paint, muse on what makes them an individual.
For me, my identity was not like the stories I have read of other Asians’ diaspora.
When I was younger we were the only Khmer on the street and my parents were often at work helping to build the Western dream, so I grew up reading ancient epics and philosophy and identified with this world more.
In fact, there was one time where I thought I could be Greek.
But when I came to Springvale and learnt more about my roots, I found such richness in my culture and in other cultures.
I was suddenly a bit of everything having the opportunity to engage without cultures and be who I am without fear. I grew up never troubled or ashamed about being myself.
However, when I was confronted at a café for doing something that mothers have done throughout history in all cultures, it presented as a real shock.
It was my first time at Cloud Café. I have been at other cafes who have welcomed breastfeeding and it had always been a relaxing experience.
Being asked to leave and then told by the 2IC (of which he referred to himself) that breastfeeding is illegal was not something I expected, especially from a café.
When I informed him it was not illegal, he said that I had entered a private café and that I should be ashamed for ‘exposing’ myself .th.th. these words hit a deep chord.
I took to Twitter to voice my opinion because I thought that mothers, who have the extraordinary task of looking after these precious little creatures, who will be the foundations of our future, deserve a break and some respect.
I was blessed to have media pick up this issue and have had calls from some mothers who have experienced similar problems but have been afraid to speak up.
One mother spoke to me about how she was petrified to feed in public and that it was one of the reasons that led to her postnatal depression.
She felt trapped in her own home because she feared confrontation of this nature. Other mothers have offered many comments of support.
One criticism I received was that I should feed in the car. With heat reaching past 35 degrees on some day and a regular breastfeeding session taking 30-50minutes, it’s not a viable option.
I will be taking this matter to the Human Rights Commission because although I may be small and not have the loudest voice, I do have a voice and bullying of this nature should not be tolerated. Mothers, as in any citizen, deserve the right and freedom to live and do what is necessary without fear.
I encourage you to raise your voice on any issues that concern you because you will be heard and your voice can move mountains and create positive needed changes.
– Kaylan Ky
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