Tina Revai, Registered Nurse, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, British Columbia, Canada

An Open Letter in Support of Emma Kwasnica and all mother have posted breastfeeding images
February 5, 2012

Dear Facebook Management,

You have heard from many infant feeding experts. Breastfeeding is the normal biological way to feed
infants and young children, along with meeting their needs for connection to their primary caregiver.
The evidence is unequivocal that there are long term health effects for babies not breastfed and for
mothers who do not breastfeed.

In many countries women start out with the intent to breastfeed because families know this. This is
evidenced by the very high rates in which women and infants start out breastfeeding in the first few days
of life. In most areas this is well over 80% of women.

However, some women struggle to maintain this relationship in a greater society that is only beginning
to be conscious of the importance of nurturing infants and children in this way.

A significant source of connection for these women is each other. Women seek out other supportive
mothers. And as we shift into understanding that this is normal human behavior, women use Facebook
as an opportunity to share their parenting journey. This is what Facebook’s intent is – social connection!

Targeting the images of women and children engaged in normal, healthy human experience is
discriminatory. Discrimination against women hurts both women and the next generation of children,
boys and girls alike. And this costs all of us.

Please reconsider your actions. As a leader in on-line social media you have a corporate social
responsibility to have a positive impact on the greater society. Not a damaging one.

Yours sincerely,

Tina Revai

Registered Nurse, British Columbia, Canada

Board Certified Lactation Consultant