To be offended by the term ‘Chestfeeding’

[Coco2891]

The Breastfeeding Network (UK) has just shared an article on Facebook from Kellymom about trans people and the term ‘chestfeeding’ and that people should be asked what they would like it reffered to as by their health visitor-having not read a lot about the trans movement I am a bit behind on it all but this term has really got up my nose ! I’m tired and hormonal btw so any other day it may not have bothered me enough to post on the internt about it 🙄

😖 I need to educate myself on this better so heading over to feminism

Chest feeding? When I last did it breasts were absolutely essential.

YANBU

Yanbu, I think individuals who are doing it can call it what they want (boobing is one example that I'm not keen on but up to them) I think HCPs etc should use the correct terminology.

It's about men being offended by breasts and women who reject being women but get pregnant and breast feed anyway which is definitely not a rejection of their female body.

Breastfeeding isn't a Trans issue. It's something only a woman does with her breasts. No breasts, no breastfeeding.

Nothinrong with asking someone if they prefer a different term, or using inclusive language where indicated.

But babies are fed via mammary glands, something which all people have (though readiness to lactate depends on pubertal development and ongoing hormonal cues).

The term breastfeeding can be correctly applied to any person of both sexes and any orientation/identification.

However, if someone prefers another term, you use it. And if in a group it is up to the group leader decide which is most appropriate (which good practice indicates wouid mean using inclusive language (as anyone with a husband who has doggedly been referred to as a partner will know)

General politeness would be for a trans man to be asked how they would like to refer to it in their own context. What they can’t do is have any say over how it should be referred to in the context of everyone else. And they don’t get to be offended if they hear the word breastfeeding even if someone slips up and uses it in context of their breasts. So they don’t get to insist it’s changed on leaflets or in antenatal classes

Can honestly say I have more to think about in my life than being offended if a midwife asks me which terminology I prefer at an appointment in an effort to be more inclusive of trans people.

‘Do you prefer the term breastfeeding or chestfeeding?’

‘Breastfeeding is fine!’

‘Great. Moving on...’

YWNBU to be irritated if every midwife started exclusively using chestfeeding, but YABU to take offence at being asked whether you prefer one term or another. Inclusivity of trans parents benefits them and their kids and costs you nothing.

It’s ridiculous. Even breast cancer is still referred to as breast cancer in male patients.
That’ll be the next thing that changes I’m sure.

It’s ridiculous. Even breast cancer is still referred to as breast cancer in male patients.

I agree, it is ridiculous imo that men are referred to as having breast cancer when as a whole we tend to acknowledge that women have breasts and men have chests. I reckon it contributes to a lot of stigma and unwillingness to talk about cancer of ‘breast tissue’ in men as lots of patients describe it as a very emasculating experience, salt in the wound, to be diagnosed with what sounds like cancer of a female body part.

Surely you can only feed infants from breasts or a bottle? What is wrong with people?

In the very rare situation of a transman breastfeeding, ask them what term they prefer, no need to call it chestfeeding in any other situation.

Have just been reading that post and YADNBU.

I'm just surprised the trans/woke lot haven't come up with 'nipple feeding' - we all have those.

In the very rare situation of a transman breastfeeding, ask them what term they prefer, no need to call it chestfeeding in any other situation.

Do you think it’s that rare? A lot of trans men are pre op or have chosen not to undergo surgery, so I’d have thought it’s more common than you’d think.

I agree in theory though, surely it’d be on someone’s medical records if they are trans, or it could be a simple question on one of the many forms and appointments ‘do you consider yourself to be the gender that matches your birth sex’ or whatever.

But I wouldn’t have an issue with it being asked of everyone. It might not always be known to a HCP whether someone is trans or not and I don’t think it harms or detracts from anyone to ask the question. Plus it’d stop the awkward situation of HCPs having to guess based on someone’s appearance the gender they identify with.

Semantically speaking, men have a breast anyway. It’s slightly archaic language but still correct. ‘Lay thy head against my breast’, ‘Breastplate’ etc.

Calling it chest feeding is not inclusive, it is simply ignorant. The chest does not secrete milk, and cannot feed anything.
Both men and women have breast tissue. Both sexes can get breast cancer. There is nothing “exclusive” in using the term “breast feeding”.
It is time we recognised this nonsense for what it is - the invasion and colonisation of women’s language, identity and spaces by arrogant trans activists displaying typical male entitlement and aggression.

All the woke blokes are standing up in the Irish parliament giving long impassioned speeches about how important it is that the word 'woman' isn't used anywhere in the proposed abortion legislation. It would be so insulting to transmen

Re chestfeeding - it's also because brave and stunning doctors have managed to pump a transwoman full of drugs so that she could lactate and feed her wife's baby.

*Please remember that we are not allowed to refer to transwomen as anything other than 'she' on MN.

Scaevola

But how is it inclusive language to refer to women as cervix owners when many find that offensive and degrading?

I think HCP should have individual conversations with trans patients and agree terms to be used that the patient finds acceptable.

Printered literature and websites etc should be as easy to understand as possible, in consideration for those with English as a second language or only basic literacy skills.

It’s like the cervical cancer thing - if transmen are being missed by current terminology change it to ‘women AND transmen’, don’t ditch ‘women’ entirely in favour of ‘cervix-havers’

YANBU.

What betty said

And others obviously but she said it last

I just can't get my head around somebody being so dysphoric that they don't want to be seen as a woman, yet choosing to use that female anatomy to gestate. Never mind understanding how putting a penis inside a vagina counts as gay sex

I’m not sure why growing a baby in one’s uterus and pushing the baby out of one’s vagina is bearable for transmen (who are of course female, or they would not be able to do this in the first place), but saying ‘breastfeeding’ is not acceptable?