The Breast Book

The publisher told me it's not true. Weird. Looking forward to reading this when it is released.

Is there anything about how wonderful breastfeeding is for many mothers in this book? A positive message - and how cutting them off will mean you never get to experience this? Breastfeeding has been one of the best experiences of my life, plus had the added bonus of being an instant way of curing all baby / toddler ills.

If they're not going to include a positive story about breast ironing, why are they including one about mastectomy?

Damaging and mutilating breasts is damaging and mutilating breasts.

This is the type of book which would be passed around school friends. When I was at school we all read someone's copy of Teenage Health Freak, and took it as absolute gospel. Frightening to think of a child believing this rubbish.

TBH if someone presented something to me as different, difficult and challenging, but also a possibility, in my teens, I would have had to have a go. If I had got it into my head that it was doable and would make me feel better, then I would do it.

It is hard to believe now as I am such a wimp (probably banged my head against too many brick walls).

I can't see that it has any place in a book for 11 year olds who do not know how they are going to feel about the changes puberty bring.

Does it have the bit about the mental/physical/financial costs which occur a couple of years later when Jack changes Jack's mind and and calls herself she again?

But the point is they're still representing a double mastectomy as a legitimate option rather than find ways to help a young woman feel comfortable in her own body.

Yes. Would they say that an anorexic who genuinely believes themselves to be fat should be allowed to to starve themselves such that they permanently harm themselves in adulthood? Because I don't see the difference. How about addressing sexist stereotypes instead?

I think what I'd say to that is that if your aim is the "normalisation of breasts" then suggesting a double mastectomy in a perfectly healthy young woman as a reasonable option is perhaps not sending out the message you might want.

It may well be the case that they present Jack's decision as "difficult and challenging". That may seem reasonable, and they may feel they're being even-handed. But the point is they're still representing a double mastectomy as a legitimate option rather than find ways to help a young woman feel comfortable in her own body.

this is the reply I got, pondering my response:

Jack’s story was highlighted in the message to parents/ carers in the introduction as we appreciate it may require further discussion. We know young people are hearing about trans journeys from a variety of sources but often with very little context or an explanation of the years of reflection that are required. We feel Jack presents a journey which was clearly undertaken in adulthood after many years of careful consideration. Jack also describes mixed feelings about having his surgery (a perspective rarely seen in trans stories) and it is presented as a difficult and challenging decision. It is made clear that this is not the same thing as a young person exploring what it means to be a boy or a girl but is a serious and irreversible adult decision.

We understand gender dysphoria in younger people is a serious concern but some of the confusion perhaps arises from the fact we live in a society where conversations about the female body and breast development are not happening openly. Young people are experiencing body changes in isolation and are often afraid. When breasts are presented as purely sexual and are poorly understood, further confusion results. We feel that a normalisation of breasts, a conversation about the function of breasts and a book that encourages young people to have open conversations and to seek support is a positive thing.

The OP is in Australia. But MN is a British site so they can't have their copyrighted material displayed in the British market ahead of UK publication. It's a copyright issue.

I've had what looks like a standard reply from Martin Wagner (the Martin in Pinter and Martin), completely failing to address the points I made and making no reference to Margaret McCartney's BMJ article which I sent him.

We need to keep the pressure up. The huge rise in girls identifying as trans and ROGD cannot be ignored.

It's not released in the UK until 14th March, maybe it's been released elsewhere sooner?

I imagine they'll be having words with TBD!

They've obviously released some copies early. They are fair enough deleting these screenshots as it's before the official pub date - they don't even have 'look inside preview pages on Amazon.

According to Amazon it's not out until 14 March

Actually they're not deleted but the whole thing is very muddled probably due to how we've replied to each other.

Why can't the book discuss the risks of breast surgery AND provide reassuring information about normal lumps and bumps and how to self examine for breast cancer?

Yup.

It's normalising mastectomies and augmentation but not for their true purpose.

The sexualisation of women's bodies, feeding into worries about self image, adding to self harm.

I'm waiting to see if there are any further responses from them before I post a screen shot of a further tweet.

It is so disappointing to see this. I worry for the girls growing up today.
I watched that video of the 4 women who had detransitioned and it was so clear how strongly they were influenced by the media and messages they were exposed to.

She made the point that breast cancer wasn't hugely discussed as it was a book for teen girls and she'd come across/ done? research that they can sometimes get overly worried about normal tissue lumps and bumps which I think is a fair point.

It's interesting that she can see that this might make girls worry unnecessarily about their health, but she can't see that encouraging children to think about their 'gender identity' is causing so many of them to think that there is something wrong with them and 'discovering' that they are transgender.

I'm really gutted to see Pinter and Martin publishing this. So much so that I rereg'd here to say so.

Some of their books have meant a great deal to me and my children, and have helped me grow in confidence regarding my body and my place in the world.

In fact I thought their ethos was about body confidence and celebrating what our bodies can do.

I would have loved a book like The Breast Book for my daughters as they get closer to puberty, but I won't be buying one that normalises the amputation of healthy breasts.

Pretty well all women, as we grow up, have negative feelings about our breasts for one reason or another, right? That's why a book like this is a wonderful idea, and the section on cosmetic breast removal is such a totally terrible idea.

Until now I would have trusted a Pinter and Martin book to have a healthy message about bodies.

Charming indeed! Elective mastectomy my eye. I'm appalled.

Let me get this right: apparently the book describes that implants are "a big decision that has to be thought about very, very carefully". She briefly discusses the risks of implants including pain, degrading of the implants, difficulty breastfeeding, and surgical complications.

But a double mastectomy for a young girl who might not be entirely comfortable with the idea of growing breasts (which is not at all abnormal at that age, especially as they are often uncomfortable and painful due to hormonal changes and growth, often increase one being subject to the "male gaze", can also increase teasing, may interfere with sports at times (and especially are painful when one gets smacked in the chest), mean uncomfortable bras for many (since many women still wear wrong bra size), and so on) is just discussed in such a passing manner as an option that might be suited for some?

I have had double mastectomies for preventative reasons (hereditary breast cancer risk). Risks of such surgery and mastectomies - which were well researched and well explained - include negative reactions to the anesthesia - including death, pain - including for some chronic pain, infection, tissue/nipple necrosis, bleeding, significant scarring, possible lymphedema (as some nodes always get caught up in the removal of tissue) and yeah, not just a risk of loss of breastfeeding, but absolutely no breastfeeding. Also other more minor inconveniences like how the hollow left by the absence of your breast tissue in your armpit makes it hard to shave your armpits (if you desire) properly or without nicking yourself). Then there is that recovery period where you can't lift anything for a while, anything above your head for a while longer, and get to walk around with drains for a while, emptying them at least twice a day.

Breasts are body parts. Mastectomies are an amputation of those body parts. They may not have bones and so on, but dismissing them as so easily removed if one is not comfortable with them- to pre-pubescent/pubescent girls - is horrific. I know for even women diagnosed with breast cancer who are recommended to get mastectomies as part of their treatment, the decision can be a difficult one, even if they don't always "love" their breasts.

I have a hard time buying a version of "The Penis Book" would so casually portray removing one's penis or testicles. After all, some pre-pubescent/pubescent boys might not want their penis either!

I am sorry, this just really angers me. Especially as an adult woman with a significant family history of hereditary breast cancer who had to navigate through a complicated system to get the mastectomies that were highly recommended to me by high risk clinicians and geneticists I consulted with (and my sister is going through same thing now). And I am fine with that, as frustrating as it could be, as it makes sense that everyone along the line wanted to be sure I was sure. I often feel reading these kind of things that I should have just walked in to any local doctor's office and said I identify as a male instead; I could have probably saved 1.5-2 years of genetic consults, genetic testing, referrals to surgeons, then to plastic surgeons, and so on.