With the permission of Fort Bliss, Ruby says she invited active soldiers to meet on September 10 for the photo shoot. As of publication, it has generated more than 10,000 likes and 8,000 shares as well as some enthusiastic praise online on various social media platforms.
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A photographer and ex-female soldiers have taken action and held a photoshoot that shows breastfeeding soldiers to signify that women can play both roles of serving the country and being a mother.
“The photo was never meant to be a political statement”, photographer and solider Tara Ruby said by phone.
A photo of Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, that features a group of active duty mothers has gone viral.
Ruby said she first posted the photograph Thursday night, but it was removed from her page, presumably by Facebook, which does not allow pictures of naked breasts on the site. Ruby found the women through the Fort Bliss P3T Program, and her goal was to normalize how breastfeeding is perceived in society.
In fact, when Tara Ruby served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force between 1997 and 2001, no dedicated spaces for new, breastfeeding mothers looking for privacy to pump even existed. We now have come to date.
No woman should have to fight for her right to breastfeed, and by breastfeeding their babies whilst wearing their combat fatigues, the military moms have made that point quite succinctly.
Contrary to what many believe, she explains, the military has no specific rule or regulation that forbids breastfeeding while in uniform. The women, from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, violated a policy that forbids military members from using the uniform to further a cause, promote a product or imply an endorsement, a spokesman said at the time.
Alyssa Milano is not the only person out there who makes no apologies for breastfeeding. This photo will help many other young mothers, young soldiers make decisions for their families and even their careers.
Ruby said she applauds Fort Bliss for providing a nursing room for soldiers.
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“Virtually talking, it is a matter of retention”, she stated: “Moms want help so they do not have to decide on between household and fix”.
