Chestfeeding group at work

[Sengah]

I've just been invited to join a chest/breastfeeding support group at work. I find myself keen to join on the one hand, in order to be supportive of other mums as our workplace doesn't make it easy. But on the other hand use of the term chestfeeding is bizarre and undermines women-who-try-&-breastfeed's struggles and invisibility and bigotry. We are not yet at a stage of being out and proud and breastfeeding, as a society, and now the act/women sees to be being undermined in a different way, through language. I don't even really follow what chest feeding is or who 'chestfeeds'!

Please help me navigate this? Should I say something of my concerns in the office? Am I over reacting? I do not want people to feel hurt or excluded but breastfeeding is so hard I do think we should be making it about women until they are not ostracised for it, have the support they need etc

LLL info here
www.laleche.org.uk/support-transgender-non-binary-parents/

I haven't attended the group yet so I don't know if there are trans people present.

I'm confused as to the problem. If You want to join you join, if you don't you don't?

Chest feeding??

Wtaf

Polynerd I wonder the same thing. It's like they haven't read anything written before 1990...

What really annoys me about this is that this sort of stupid thinking just holds serious subjects up to ridicule. Some elements of the press get their take on it and what is a good idea gets lost in the trying to be inclusive narrative. If the subject was testicular cancer would we have to see an invitation to join a genitalia cancer group? Because the target audience would be lost wouldn't it? So please can we call a spade a spade, rather than a multi use digging tool used by males/females and anyone else?

How is this even a thing.

The number of trans men who are nursing a baby must be infinitesimally small. In the only study I can find about it, which included 16 people actually nursing, most of them used the words breastfeeding or nursing to describe what they were doing. So the chance that your workplace has, or will ever have, a trans man nursing a baby who will feel put out by the term 'breastfeeding' is ludicrously small.

I think you will find if you go along to the group that it is all females involved, and that word 'chestfeeding' will get zero actual airtime.

They are breasts

The PP that said

men can have breast cancer, it's not chest cancer - ^www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-in-men^

is spot on. Surely? Why need for term chest when breast is widely used already for men?

I shall report back. And I will ask what is behind the use of the term. It is not a supportive work environment for women and this to me feels more of the same, just from a totally different angle.

it is sexist and offensive to change breastfeeding to chestfeeding for everybody. if an individual wants to call it something different that is their business.

re LLL, it is almost as if some sort of lobbying group exists which actively seeks out female centred organisations.....

OP I'm guessing HR will have decided the name? They are probably thinking they have to call it that.

It will be pregnant people at work next.

We wrote this press release last year after a young girl was detained under the mental health act when she sought an abortion. We cannot continue to treat pregnant people in Ireland like this. Make sure you vote on May 25th. #Together4Yes #VOTEYES

twitter.com/freesafelegal/status/998974017037062144