A Toronto mother is demanding an apology from a golf club after she said she was escorted to the venue鈥檚 basement to finish breastfeeding after other guests complained on Saturday night.
Alexandra Shimo and her partner Lia Grimanis brought their two-and-half month old son Jacob to a charity event at the Lambton Golf and Country Club in the Dundas Street and Royal York Road area in Toronto鈥檚 west end. Shimo told CTV Toronto on Sunday, that when Jacob became hungry she found a quiet corner in the hallway outside the dining area to nurse him.
鈥淚鈥檇 been happily feeding Jacob and a couple people came up and said how sweet he was and I thought that it was really quite idyllic,鈥� she said.
As she was sitting in a corner of the hallway breastfeeding, Shimo said she was approached by a male service manager carrying a large tablecloth to hide her. She said the manager said a few patrons had complained to the club鈥檚 management that they could see her from the members-only restaurant. Shimo was told the diners said they 鈥渄idn鈥檛 want to see this while they were eating.鈥�
鈥淚 thought this is ridiculous,鈥� Shimo said. 鈥淲hy do you find the sight of a baby breastfeeding disgusting and why have you made me feel ashamed?鈥�
Shimo said she immediately stopped nursing Jacob and covered up. The club manager then led her downstairs to the basement so she could finish feeding her child.
鈥淭he way it was handled,鈥� Shimo said. 鈥淚 was slightly embarrassed because he made me feel like it was a shameful thing by sort of covering me up and saying people didn鈥檛 want to see it.鈥�
Grimanis said she eventually located Shimo breastfeeding on a couch in the basement and decided to photograph the moment. She posted the photo on Facebook on Saturday evening, to demonstrate what Shimo looked like while she was nursing. Soon after, Grimanis said, her post 鈥渆xploded鈥� with outraged comments.
鈥淲e had messages from people in Denmark, from the U.K., from the United States and all across Canada,鈥� Grimanis said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e really tapped into that idea that we鈥檙e not going to go quietly into the basement anymore, this is our right to breastfeed.鈥�
Many of the commenters on the Facebook post expressed indignation at the incident and questioned whether the golf club was legally allowed to ask a breastfeeding woman to move.
Other users urged the couple to file a human rights complaint or take legal action against the club.
By Sunday, the golf club鈥檚 Facebook page was overrun with comments remarking on the episode. Many of the club鈥檚 posts dating back to December now have comments scolding the club for its actions on Saturday.
The club鈥檚 Happy Mother鈥檚 Day post from May 8 received the most comments about Shimo from angry users.
A manager at the club told CTV Toronto that they鈥檙e 鈥渨ell aware鈥� of the incident, but they haven鈥檛 released an official response yet.
Women have the right to breastfeed in public and should not be asked to 鈥渃over up鈥� or move according to the Ontario Human Rights Code. However, because the golf club is a private facility that was holding a public charity event, it鈥檚 not clear whether the code would be applicable in Shimo鈥檚 case.
Shimo wants the club鈥檚 staff to undergo sensitivity training, and has requested a formal apology, but hasn鈥檛 yet had a response.
鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 responded to that, or what鈥檚 happening on social media. So, if they continue to ignore this event and this issue, then yes, I probably will file a complaint with the human rights tribunal,鈥� she said.
Shimo said she鈥檚 hoping her story will change some perceptions about women breastfeeding in public.
鈥淭his is 2016. We鈥檙e tired as women being made to feel ashamed of our bodies,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is a natural and beautiful thing and it鈥檚 also a human right.鈥�
With a report from CTV Toronto
