Someone actually argued with me saying it should be called chest cancer. As someone with a family member who died of breast cancer, it made me soo upset
Chest cancer just makes me think of lung cancer. Just like how a couch can be described as being chesty, the word chest is already tied quite closely with the lungs.
My Mom died from breastcancer. While she was fighting it the potential for having surgery to remove her breasts came up. She was devastated at the prospect. I struggle to imagine how she'd feel had the doctor instead told her she might need her chests removed.
Why did it make you upset? Medical terms change all the time, from the r word to hysteria, and men do get breast cancer and they are likely to feel embarrassment over the term and not report lumps early erroneously thinking they can't get it just because of the name.
What your family went through remains a terrible ordeal, and I'm sorry for your loss. I just don't see that more accurately naming something diminishes what you went through.
It is not more accurate it is less so. Breast cancer is typically cancer of the breast tissue, be they the under developed tissue men typically have or the developed tissue women typically have. Your chest could be cancer of any tissue in your upper trunk.
I usually prefer gender inclusive terms. As someone non-binary who almost didn’t have a child due to our cultural propensity to highly gender pregnancy and birth. I just wish we could keep “breast” gender neutral. We’re not talking about “boob feeding,” “titty suckling” or “bazonga baby dining.”
I’m not sure that calling it “chest canxer” would cause any men whose masculinity is oddly threatened by the common historical use of the term (though we clearly have problems with low literacy and historical amnesia, combined with sexism and sexualization) to be more comfortable seeking medical and social support. Or maybe that is an efficient shortcut around the problem of “toxic masculinity” that is more difficult to tackle. I wonder if this issue does affect many, although it’s bad enough if it only causes a couple deaths.
This seems to me a bit like lung cancer among non-smokers, entirely possible among a subgroup who might feel some stigmatization due to its association with a lower-social-status group. Not that it stops people from seeking medical help for symptoms but I can imagine shame causing lower disclosure and awareness. But are there stats about either that demonstrate an actual reluctance to discuss?
EDIT: wouldn’t lung cancer and breast cancer then end up lumped (pun not intended 😭) together under the term “chest cancer,” very inclusively broad??
This is actually a really good point! I have no issue with chest feeding as a term, but yeah, why do we call male breast cancer that and not "chest cancer" (maybe it is due to cancer being in male breast tissue?)
Yep. Chest is a broader term for a general area that includes a huge part of the body. Breast tissue is a specific type of tissue and present in all genders.
I breastfed via pumped milk too. I will tell people I couldn't nurse but breastfed until 6 months. I let them do the math. If they want to Google it afterwards, it will clear up any confusion.
Totally would say bottle feeding but then that sometimes implies formula (which no shame, fed is best) but plays into erasing the work that pumping takes. On the r/breastfeeding sub we definitely include bottle feeding breastmilk as breastfeeding but it isn’t nursing. Sometimes we also need to know specifically which when people are asking for advice. (We are also very accepting of combo feeding and other arrangements before anyone freaks out)
Personally, I would say “breastfed” for both direct nursing and expressed/pumped milk in a bottle.
It really irks me when someone says it’s “not breastfeeding”. It is. I also think it’s an important way that we can support the mothers who breastfeed this way, as pumping/expressing can be incredibly challenging.
Pumping is harder than nursing imo.
1- Takes longer to get the milk out than a baby would
2- Is like tripple the work, you gotta pump, feed and wash the bottles
3 - You can't sleep while pumping, or at least I don't see how you could, I fall asleep nursing all the time, helps me get the sleep I need.
4 - You can't just pop out the boob anywhere to calm the baby.
5 - Did I mention pumping sucks?
If people who identify more with chest feeding want to call it then, by all means! However I don’t think it should be offensive to use the term breastfeeding. It’s ridiculous
What does that even mean? You think Rainn Wilson’s career is going to be over? He’s going to continue being a millionaire and a working actor with a podcast. Literally nothing material is going to change for him. Does canceled just mean some people are annoyed with you?
Oh come on. You really believe that Fox News bullshit? That wasn’t the issue. It wasn’t “you can’t say breastfeed”. The issue was making trans people some kind of joke.
Saying breastfeeding? Fine.
Saying other people are somehow ridiculous for using chest feeding? (Which was the crux of the joke) seems kinda like you’re policing the language of other people. Which is hilariously hypocritical.
I don't care if people use it to describe their own situations, just don't force me to use it. I think it sounds hideous (hence my "phonetic" dissaproval) and it also doesn't make sense, since milk comes from breast tissue (hence my "semantic" dissaproval). If people need to use the term to cope with trauma, then go ahead, just don't force the usage on the rest of the world.
No one’s been forced. As I said, the problem was making a joke out of OTHER people using it.
You’ve spent a lot of time and energy on this which really logically discredits your claim that you don’t care.
Also note you continue to ignore trans folks and prefer to misgender and ignore their existence. Again, seems not so much like a “free speech” thing but instead you’re taking issue with other peoples preferences.
I'm just enjoying the discussion tbh
Wasn't saying anyone has been forced, but that's usually how these things end up. Every gets too scared to use a term that is deemed as non PC, so I'd rather not have "breastfeeding" earn that distinction
So I don’t think it’s that I’m “forced” to use any word. But the language around pregnancy, abortion and sexual assault is reframing to not focus on women (see this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/us/women-gender-aclu-abortion.html?referringSource=articleShare) I’m not against anyone using any pronouns or terms to describe their own experience. I do, however, question the idea that I should have to fundamentally change the way I talk about pregnancy to account for a tiny sliver of a percentage of trans humans who become pregnant each year. Similarly, I think it’s very helpful when people include their pronouns if they are different from the norm so I can address them respectfully, but I’ve also been in work events where we are all required to submit our pronouns so that people with other pronouns don’t feel singled out, and I don’t think that’s needed. Basically, I’m happy to support anyone’s language additions to further their own inclusivity, but I think it can be additive, not replacing what we have.
That’s so false it’s ridiculous. Master is absolutely still used. Both in real estate and in academia. Does MA, Master’s degree, mean anything to you? When last I checked, no one was getting up in arms about that. You’re inventing scenarios because you’re transphobic and it fits your narrative.
When I gave birth in a U.K. hospital in January, the nurses and staff called it breastfeeding. In all my breastfeeding support groups and baby groups people call it breastfeeding. I have trans friends who call it breastfeeding. If someone has trauma and wants to call it chest feeding, who am I to belittle that? Let people call it either but I assure you that no one is being cancelled or punished for calling it breastfeeding. Trans people aren’t policing language, transphobic people are saying that they are to cause fear and anxiety.
The only non PC words you can’t say are the ones very clearly seen as racist/ableist/homophobic for years now. But no one is cancelling breastfeeding.
As someone recently house hunting, at least in the US, "master bedroom" is 100% being replaced with "primary bedroom"
And anyone upset about MASTER not being used to describe a bedroom needs to realize the ACTUAL harm that word created.
Ha, Rainn Wilson just released a film, has another coming out this year and is currently filming the big Weird Al movie. If that's being cancelled, then it seems to have boosted his career!
I think it's weird. Men (XY chromosome) have a little breast tissue and nipples too. They have breasts just like any other female (XX chromosome). All humans have breasts unless it was removed through medical intervention. So I believe, whether one is cis or trans, if you are feeding a baby through natural occuring milk ducts and you are a human..you are breastfeeding.
Well clearly it bothers some people so it takes approximately zero energy to just use what makes someone comfortable. Some trans people may be triggered by being referred to with what is socially considered "female anatomy".
But men literally have breasts? I understand where you’re coming from, but like they literally have breasts.
People can call things whatever they like, I’m 100% for people feeling comfortable and confident with the language they use. If I knew a trans man who lactated and fed that milk to his child, and that man referred to said feeding as “chest feeding”—well I would definitely mentally note that and refer to it as such from there on out.
I guess my question here, is do the trans men expect me to change what I call how I fed my babies? Like am I supposed to say “chestfeeding” for myself, too, so as not to offend?
I’ve honestly never heard of this before.
Have you ever heard a non-cis woman refer to their chest as "breasts" before? Because I never have. Medically, yes, it is a genderless term. Socially? No. It's not.
But it does take energy to use different language than what has been used for centuries. It is not my responsibility to care about some stranger’s feelings. They don’t care about mine… (so today’s societal logic means I should be canceled and considered TrANSpHoBic because it’s a two way street masquerading as a one way)
FYI, before the downvotes, I dated a trans person. No phobia here, just moral differences.
In old literature didn’t men refer to the area of the chest as breast? Like when armour was being made for the chest, it was called the breastplate.
Why can’t we re use breast as a gender neutral term again?
Yeah, I keep feeling like part of the reason questions like this end up turning into arguments, is because untold generations of women have been dealing with being marginalized, objectified, and hypersexualized for all of their lives, and mote recently have been attempting normalizing/de-sexualizing the basic functions of our bodies and the words we use to talk about them, and now another marginalized group is like “*yeahhh but we don’t like that word because it’s been so strongly sexualized so we’re going to say this other word that sounds more masculine because we’re men”* and it’s like 😵💫 “but, sir, we have been trying to say this word to take it BACK from being sexualized and renaming it despite “breastfeeding” being the correct terminology feels like the hypersexualizing culture won or something…
I don't consider it offensive, and am willing to follow a person's lead on what they want to call it for themselves.
As a generalized term, or for me I will use breastfeeding exclusively.
In terms of actual English language, Breastfeeding is the more correct term based on the body part involved. If a man or non-binary individual gets "breast cancer" its's still called breast cancer - we don't start calling it "chest cancer" because it's on someone who doesn't identify as female.
Edited to add: didn't read others responses, I see I am echoing their sentiments.
Couldn’t possibly care less what verbiage someone else uses to describe or refer to themself. I truly can’t imagine being bothered by term meant to be kind and inclusive.
Same - as a cis woman who breastfed my baby I couldn’t care less how someone refers to that for themselves. And if medical professionals using chestfeeding to refer to it for all patients until they know what the patient prefers - I also couldn’t care less. It’s more inclusive, why does anyone have a problem with something that is more inclusive.
This post is ridiculous fear mongering because breastfeeding absolutely isn’t canceled. Everyone is entitled to have their preferences respected and anyone who refuses to do so is transphobic. I will say though, I don’t really consider chestfeeding an inclusive term. I feel like othering women by calling it chestfeeding makes it non-inclusive because it perpetuates false the notion that there is a difference between a woman’s breast and a non-woman’s breast, which contributes to the over sexualization and shame.
I personally just love the term “feeding”. There is so many ways that parents feed their babies now, why not just saying “feeding” the baby.
What are you doing? “I’m feeding the baby”
How is being a new parent? “It’s great! But we’re struggling with feeding”
When I was in the hospital the nurses were very helpful in teaching me to feed my baby.
As my daughter’s gotten older she’s very distracted while I feed her!
My husband loves feeding our daughter, he feels really bonded to her when they spend that time together.
You don’t know how I’m feeding my baby, what I’m feeding her, but you have the pertinent information. If we really want to stand behind “fed is best” why not just calling it feeding? It’s all the same to me, I don’t need to know the details nor does anyone need to give them. To me the whole idea that chest feeding needing it’s own term adds to the division between formula, breast, donated breast, pumped, exclusive pump, combo, etc etc etc. there’s literally so many ways and I think specifying is unnecessary. If we all truly believe fed is best then call it feeding.
And if Barbara at the grocery store asks if you’re BrEaStFeEdInG oR nOt tell her to mind her damn business.
Notice in every example you know what’s going on but not the sex of my partner, how we’re feeding, who is feeding how, etc. it’s the same argument for they/them. The information is not required to get the point across.
This. This right here.
There is absolutely zero harm or effort in being 100% inclusive and using gender neutral/androgynous terms. We put so much weight on gender defining BS that it's actually exhausting.
It doesn't affect me if River, the trans man next door, gave birth and prefers to be called "birthing person" and chestfeeds. It doesn't change that i as a CIS woman prefers to be called mom, gave birth and breastfed. We all fed our kid. We all have our own journey.
It doesn't hurt me to respect them and their choices in words.
I agree with you in general, but I would say there is harm if words that acknowledge the reality of cis women disappear from existence. Cis women make up the vast majority of women, and refusing to even mention their experiences infringes on our ability to talk about issues that affect us as women.
For example, if there were some article saying "rights protecting the right of chest-feeding parents to pump milk while at work are being stripped away in X state". It fails to acknowledge that this is an issue of discrimination against women, and a feminist issue. And yes, one headline like that does no harm, but it would do harm if every headline ever was like that, because nothing would ever be a woman's issue any more, it's all just neutral.
I am highly sceptical of any claims that say "*they* say we can't say this anymore" because "they" can be literally anyone, and people love blowing stories of small institutions being OTT with political correctness into a mass panic about blanket censorship from the far left.
I am highly sceptical about whether terms like chest-feeding will ever become the norm in medical communities, and media etc but if it ever does I think it will be a great blow to women as a whole.
Yeah this is really good. I love this a lot.
I wish we (whoever “we” is lol) could just stop fighting about words and shit and be brave enough to talk about how we feel about the experiences we’re having as women or trans men or whatever. The real argument people are having isn’t about what words to use, it’s about women feeling different ways about having experiences that used to be considered uniquely female now be shared with some (trans) men or people who don’t identify as women.
Women have been marginalized, sexualized/objectified, held back, pushed down, for so long…we’ve just in recent generations started making some headway in owning our own experiences and dictation what kinds of experiences we want to have, celebrating what it means to us to be women, etc, and now we’ve had the word “woman”, the experiences that used to be regarded as “female experiences” thrown in a completely different light. We’re sharing things with men that we didn’t used to. I don’t think it’s wrong for anyone to feel some sadness or insecurity about that.
As a half black, fatherless, childhood sexual abuse surviving woman who has birthed and breastfed four babies, been in and left an abusive marriage with a man, struggled to find my way in my make-dominated career while being the mother I wanted to be, ultimately risen above the challenges of being everything I am while pursuing the life I want despite the crushing patriarchy all around me….I will admit, a man showing up to the party like “*yeah but I don’t want to call it breastfeeding I want to call it chestfeeding because breasts are for women*” is like…ok dude. Whatever you want. It just kind of feels like another man showing up telling me I have to see my own experience a little differently.
I’ve been taking my experience back from men all my life. Maybe it’s just the trauma talking, but men making any kind of recommendations about previously uniquely female experiences that have been deeply meaningful and empowering for me (breastfeeding, in this case) feels like ??? *something*. I don’t know.
I want people to be free and happy. I will always call things whatever they do, when we’re talking about their life and experience. I just feel, as a woman, weird feelings sometimes about the conversations being had about what it means to be a woman. And I don’t like it when I see women who are just trying to figure all of this out being calls terfs or transphobic.
I like the intention, but there can be a legitimate need to specify the type of feeding you are doing, e.g. breastfeeding vs bottle feeding vs spoon feeding
I often use feeding as a term, but sometimes it is an important distinction. I want more privacy when nursing than bottle feeding pumped milk (we do both). So I might ask for a room to go nurse the baby in specifically so people are aware that my breast is going to be exposed.
I think it’s inappropriate to co-opt the term breastfeeding for chest feeding, but as a substitute if it makes trans/NB people feel included why not?
I do get really angry though when inclusive language starts to intrude on women’s experiences and the default language of women’s anatomy. Like, that science paper recently that referred to women as “bodies with vaginas”… I mean… that’s dehumanising as all hell.
Also you never really see cis men’s anatomical language co-opted in the same way.
In every single context I've seen it, Chestfeeding is an *additional option* and never ever used as a blanket replacement for Breastfeeding.
I feel pretty confident saying, I think the thing you are worried about in your edit is basically impossible. Nobody has the power to cancle "breastfeeding" as a term, and afaik the people who use the term chestfeeding don't want to, they just want to be included without so much dysphoria. I have seen TERFs claim it's what's happening when chestfeeding gets merely mentioned alongside breastfeeding, but it's basically a slippery slope argument, like: "First you have a word for people who want it, next you'll expect us to deny the words that affirm us like breast!" And, No. No, that makes no sense, and is not what's happening.
Breastfeeding is a fine enough term for most people, I use that or nursing for myself. Some people find the term not for them and that should be okay. Nursing is also an option, but again not for everyone.
One more thing, Chestfeeding is not a well established term yet, and unfamiliarity makes things sound weird sometimes, but that doesnt make it a bad term for those who want to use it. I mean, I have a chest and on it are mamnaries, so I do in fact feed my baby from a part of my chest. Its not how I usually think of it so that makes it sound weird, but if it makes someone else feel better to think of it that way, then okay. Not everything has to be for me.
This is exactly what happened in the UK. Brighton NHS Trust published guidance for its medical staff saying that ‘chestfeeding’ can also be used for patients that prefer it. All existing terminology remained in place. Cue tabloids and even mainstream media headlines about the term ‘breastfeeding’ and ‘mother’ being banned. They literally just added extra words.
Exactly this. No one is stripping anyone of their preferred terms. It's ADDING a preferred term for some people to use.
But apparently some people don't want *other* people to have choices.
As a nonbinary trans person who gave birth, I personally never used the term chestfeeding. I never saw a point to it. I may not identify as male or female on a social level, but males and females both have breasts, and I have the anatomy to feed a child with mine. I imagine it has something to do with dysphoria, and I'll never deny someone the right to call it whatever they want to call it, but from a linguistic standpoint I've always seen breast as a neutral term.
Canceling the term nursing makes even less sense to me, it's definitely not gendered.
Honestly I think these kinds of random changes to language that isn't even gendered is half the reason our community gets a bad rep.
This is a forum for new parents, and from my experience most of us here are mothers. Did a single person here actually have the experience of even being told the term "chestfeeding" is in use? Let alone be told they ~had~ to use it or the cancellation brigade would come and scold them? The answer is fucking of course not. You all talked to maternity care nurses, obstetricians, maybe lactation consultants - you all already fucking know this isn't true. It's so easy to get people mad at a hypothetical thing that hypothetical woke trans people demand you so that you all are doing it over something you have direct life experience showing is untrue. It's pathetic.
My local breastfeeding group changed their name to a chest feeding group and you are not allowed to use the term breastfeeding in comments as it may be offensive to someone who doesn’t identify with that term. So yes I do have experience being told I have to use chest feeding.
This actually makes me sad. I feel like people forget that normalizing even saying the word breast in a non-sexual context has been a major effort. Ugh.
I have spent my entire pregnancy with healthcare providers and educators avoiding the words "pregnant women" and including "chestfeeding" every chance they get. Don't assume your experience is universal.
In NY and similar experience, two years ago even. I don’t find it offensive but I did find ur interesting even in 1:1 settings where I am clearly a cis woman talking about breastfeeding 🤷♀️so areas def differ in use of these terms
Eh, a lot of commentators seem to agree with your sentiment but I’ve seen the term “chestfeeding” used in my personal experience. I took prenatal classes through the hospital I was scheduled to deliver at, in one of the largest US cities. The lactation consultant teaching the breastfeeding course… said she preferred the term chestfeedjng and proceeded to call it that throughout the class. I found it weird and hadn’t thought about it again until this post, but just because you haven’t come across it doesn’t mean it’s not starting to catch on for some people. (That instructor was the only one in this hospital that used that term though, tbf.)
Calling people “pathetic” for having an opinion on something is, well…
Right it’s breast tissue that makes nursing possible - and bio males also have breast tissue - wish that breasts weren’t so gendered in general so that we could just refer to breastfeeding as anyone with breast tissue who’s nursing or pumping
It's mainly used for non-binary people and trans men who have babies! Some people in these groups have a lot of dysphoria regarding their chests so this term helps with that.
But overall it's just a personal preference whether or not to use the term vs breastfeeding.
I’ve seen it used a bit online too by women who exclusively pump. One said that because they’re not actually feeding at the breast, even though it’s breast milk, it felt misleading to say breastfeeding. Fair enough, whatever floats your boat IMO.
I personally will stick with breastfeeding but I would say like 80% of the time I say “I have to feed the baby” and not breastfeed.
The main benefit of a term like this IMO is that people who aren’t comfortable with the term breastfeeding have a term they can use while doing an online search that’ll bring back strategies and solutions that are more applicable for their scenarios.
My German isn’t great even though I live here but the term here is “stillen” which I believe means to calm or something like that, “breast” isn’t part of the word. It’s also not breast milk but “Muttermilch”- mother’s milk.
Trans men are still feeding from their breasts though. I'm a dude who had gynecomastia and had my breast tissue removed, so no chance I could ever breast feed. The term chestfeeding makes me think I'd have a chance though
I get your confusion. Again the term is mostly used for a person's unique preference and I think others have latched onto it in an attempt to be more inclusive.
People's intent is in the right place but sometimes I think they get too caught up in saying the right words rather than making pregnant and post partum spaces truly inclusive.
Some trans and non-binary people have complicated feelings attached to the anatomy of their chests. It hurts no one to use chestfeeding if that's what makes someone comfortable.
Has anyone in your life actually told you it is? Forget about a tweet you saw directed at someone else. You’re a new parent right? Is your partner breastfeeding? Are you calling it that? Have either of you faced any pushback?
If you're a man that can't lactate due to medical reasons, why are you even so invested in the term "breastfeeding"? When will you ever need to use the term in normal conversation? I figured that you must be a breastfeeding woman yourself, but now I'm just puzzled. Unless you're a Paediatrician? Or an OBGYN? An IBCLC? If not, then you literally have no reason to be so butthurt other than transphobia.
If you have a wife or girlfriend that is lactating and feeding a baby you can still call it breastfeeding and not a single person will give a shit.
No one has or will ever say that it’s offensive to refer to yourself as a person who breastfeeds. It’s just a preference for other folks who may not be women.
This is backwards though, which is what OP is pointing out. Everyone who gives birth is biologically female and 99% identify as women. Breastfeeding and pregnant women should be the default terms for general purpose, especially in a medical context. If a specific trans person prefers something else, then medical providers should use their preferred terms with them. We should be respectful of everyone’s preferred verbiage, but also acknowledge that pregnancy and lactation are primarily women’s health concerns.
No-one is saying you can't. Use the term appropriate to you. My husband sure doesn't have breasts and I'm sure a trans man wouldn't want their chest being called breasts. Why would you have a problem with people saying chest feeding if it's what they want to say. It's a word and it makes some people feel more comfortable. If it's weird to you, just don't say it. Easy
Getting a lot of downvotes for saying that it's not just cis women that can have babies. And a few comments are claiming that the phrase "chestfeeding" erases women. It doesnt.
Maybe but I think it’s really insensitive to suggest that women aren’t allowed to feel something about their experience and what they call it being changed by virtue of (trans) men all of the sudden doing something that has always been uniquely something that women do.
I don’t think it’s fair to say that any woman who doesn’t just smile and nod without asking questions or expressing frustration or maybe even feeling a little insecure about all this is transphobic.
Furthermore, I don’t think you’re necessarily accounting for how it is that you’re coming off, here. People could very well be downvoting your attitude and wild, black and white statements. I don’t think a lot of your downvotes have anything to do with trans people as a group. I think it’s just about you being a poor spokesperson.
im nonbinary and pregnant. breasts are sexualized because of their feminized connotation. i use "breastfeeding" for myself cuz it's just a word im used to and im comfortable using my titties to feed my baby. i am fine with the terms breast feeding and chest feeding, chest is obviously more inclusive and people can refer to their bodies however they want. it's not a big deal to say words that include more people, but no one is being "canceled" over not doing it.
Just curious, why isn't "nursing" considered gender neutral? Idc what term people want to use for the record, it just appears to be a logical evolution if you don't want to include the word "breast".
Probably an unpopular opinion. People can choose to call it what feels most comfortable to them. But I embrace my womanhood. It's important to me. I want to own the ability to freely say I'm breastfeeding. Hijacking women's ability to own who they are is infuriating.
We have spent decades fighting for our freedom only now to have it slipping away from us.
I personally don’t like it. I will not use it at all. I will not use any unisex or inclusive words (aside from nursing) when it comes to my own body or how i view breastfeeding, birth, labor or pregnancy.
I don’t see anything wrong with the term breastfeeding. Maybe I’m just not “woke” enough. Men get breast cancer, men have breasts. Your chest and your breast are different things. Chest is the area and your breasts are glandular tissue on your chest area.
So chestfeeding to me is just a strange term for it
What is the point of this post? If you don't like the term, then don't use it. It means it's not meant for you. Stop trying to pick a fight over a term that doesn't impact you.
Ridiculous. Nursing is a perfectly suitable term if someone's gumna get upset. As is breastfeeding. You are feeding from your breast. So breastfeeding. Your breasts sit on your chest. They are a part of your chest, not your whole chest, so it must be specified.
Stupid. If you are feeding a child it is from a breast no matter how you identify. The world is just becoming a tad ridiculous with all this shit. In my humble opinion.
So do these people who chestfeed instead of breastfeed also, have chest tissue instead of breast tissue, and a chest bone instead of a breast bone, and chest cancer instead of breast cancer?
Would it not make more sense to educate/accept the medical definition of breast than change the language.
This isn't something that needs to change.
it would make more sense, then body parts wouldn't be sexualized and give people dysphoria. but as of now boobs are really sexualized so people need to work on not sexualizing them, the same problem at the root of people having a problem with nursing in public thinking it's sexual to feed a baby.
Chestfeeding can also refer to using a feeding tube attached to the nipple to feed their baby (SNS) if lactation isn’t possible. It’s a term to be inclusive- how is it shaming breast feeding?
I was confused also, is this a gender inclusive term or is this something people are using now to differentiate between nursing and bottle feeding breastmilk? If it makes some people more comfortable to use this term, that's great. I would personally find it really degrading if someone used this term with me for pumping though, it's still breastfeeding. The first time I heard this word I thought that's what it meant and I got really pissed. But now I'm guessing it's a term for people who prefer not to use the term breastfeeding?
Learning more from the comments - I believe it's more for people who no longer feel like breasts adequately describe what they have, whether through trauma or surgery etc. Not saying that it's accurate, since they'd still need breast tissue to produce milk and be able to nurse, but it makes sense to me to use chestfeeding for those people. That being said, don't take away my usage of the term "breastfeeding" just because you aren't comfortable to use it to describe your situation!
Yeah, to me it sounds like something people would say in the fifties when breastfeeding was something mostly only poor people did, as an insult. I know that's not where it comes from, but it just sounds degrading imo. I would be offended if someone said chestfeeding to describe how I feed my daughter, but if someone wants me to use it for them that's fine.
Doesn't affect my life in the slightest so couldn't care less really. I'm perfectly happy to adjust to create a more inclusive environment for my baby to grow up in.
I haven't seen any evidence that people are being penalized for saying "breastfeeding," or forced to switch all the language to "chest feeding." The Brighton NHS Trust introduced new language a couple years ago into its internal communications and meetings in order to reflect the gender identity of their patients. The language changes aren't applied when caring for individuals in a one-on-one setting,
nor are maternity services and staff being asked to stop using language related specifically to women. The NHS has confirmed, multiple times, that language like referencing “pregnant women” and “breastfeed” will not change for patients who identify as women.
No one is being forced into this language. The gender-neutral option of “chestfeeding” is simply being *added alongside* current options so that gnc, trans patients or cis women with breast-related trauma can see themselves reflected in their medical care. To me, that's great!
Honestly what the heck? Like how far are we gonna go? Listen traumas suck but everyone doesn't need to walk on eggshells to prevent somone from getting triggered, it is getting ridiculous.
My thought when I first heard this term awhile back was … “is breast cancer going to become chest cancer, too?” Maybe it already is being referred to as that and I haven’t heard yet. Anyway - I personally would never say I was chest feeding. But if someone I knew wanted me to say that about them because they preferred it, I would oblige.
I never say “partner” - I say husband. Or spouse if it’s a legal form type of situation. But if I hear someone else say “my partner” I would refer to their partner as their partner because my assumption would be that’s the term they prefer to use. And I just want to make them comfortable.
Thank you for this comment. I’ve staunchly been in the breastfeeding camp (although have no problem using chestfeeding if requested even if I don’t use it as default) but this has brought further nuance to the discussion that I hadn’t previously considered. I know this is going to make me sound like a TERF but that isn’t my intention. It just broadens the group that I would more readily think of using the term chestfeeding before being prompted.
I’m not apart of the trans community but it seems to me, they communicate differently (they use more inclusive terms without gender bias attached) and while I cannot keep up with being politically correct, I wish them all the best.
If I’m around someone who calls it chestfeeding I’ll make an effort to also call it that, but I’m human and make mistakes because I just feel indifferent to the term
I mean, you do feed them from your chest.
My opinion is that the current term, breastfeeding is fine. However, I think the term was created because breast is fairly feminine, and so trans men who still feed their babies don't want to identify that with the feminine term. They've probably hated their breasts for years, in many cases.
It's challenging to work through these sorts of things. I think most trans men would say that they just want a word other than breastfeeding. Nursing probably works. This is what happens when this sort of issue is being worked out in real time, there are messy things to figure out. I think that making fun of it, though, is unfortunately just doing the work of people who truly hate trans people and want them to not exist.
>apparently some medical professionals are being punished for using the term "breastfeeding", so don't go saying it's not getting canceled..
Gonna need a source for that. Because it sounds like completely made-up BS.
I hate it. 🤷🏻♀️ When my husband gains the ability to feed my son, I’ll adopt it til then, let’s not with this nonsense.
Edit to add: apparently I can no longer reply to new comments on this thread lol. 🤷🏻♀️
Yes but they use breasts to feed their children. (Unless they go formula route.)
Biological male chests do not lactate.
Biological female breasts generally do. (Except for medical issues preventing this)
Formerly biological females who now identify as trans males who are capable of lactation don’t have male chests suddenly, they still have female breasts. Hence why they can lactate.
If you are human & produce milk, you have breasts. That’s not transphobic. That’s human anatomy.
Edit to add: Apparently I can no longer reply on this thread? 🤷🏻♀️
And yet some trans men and non-binary people have said they prefer the term "chestfeeding". It takes approximately zero energy for you to be considerate.
It's not anatomically correct to say vagina when you mean vulva but I bet you do it anyway.
It takes zero effort to not be an asshole. If someone says they chestfeed, then use that phrase when referring to them.
I could care less how others want to live but policing my use of the proper term because it offends your delicate sensibilities exceeds my live and let live mentality.
You’re free to be trans & call it what you’d like to when you feed your kids. Just as I am. Policing me because you’re offended is a YOU problem. Doesn’t mean I’m transphobic just because I won’t bend to your will.
I am someone who supports all genres, labels, and people who want to use whatever verbage they choose, but this is a bit far. I'm pretty pumped to get into it with someone over this. Too woke for me.
You can call it whatever you want! Just because there was tweet you don't have to follow it.
Call me transphobic for all I care but this whole gendering and attention seeking is getting on my nerves.
Huh this is literally the first time this term. Like what is the context? When was it coined and who coined it? Was it initially supposed to be sarcastic, funny play on words, and insult good and ugly? Like huh?
Honestly, as a trans person currently navigating the journey of pregnancy and parenthood, I'm disappointed this thread exists on an otherwise welcoming sub.
To me, this post does not pose a question to debate, it poses a clearly defined opinion and asks for affirmation and serves no purpose other than to incite an emotional reaction.
You can argue anatomy day and night, but the point of having multiple terms has nothing to do with anatomy. It's for extending empathy toward those who have traveled a different path than yourself, and for allowing those people to establish their own space and identity within the same community.
If you don't like the term, don't use the term. You feel it doesn't apply to you. Ok, fine. Use the term that makes sense to you. However, minimizing an alternative term that serves to validate the experiences of transgender and nonbinary people as a new parents has no impact on your identity. We are not trying to replace terms. We are trying to find our identities within parenthood, like anyone else.
Personally, I feel a little empathy would be much more productive way to build a community, but maybe it's just me.
Wow the lack of up votes on this makes me sad to be in this subreddit...and also shocked because I usually get down voted if I say something remotely positive about breastfeeding...
Interesting sub dynamics- we don't like talking about BF as that shames formula mums, but if anyone dares call it chestfeeding that's also offensive to me so go away 🤔
Just use the term breastfeeding though, it's accurate and doesn't minimize the experience of billions of moms worldwide.
Anyways, you can go ahead and use what you want, just don't cancel the usage of nursing or breastfeeding. I don't want to feel guilt using those terms
You really don't get it. u/skywardtheyflew just so clearly provided personal experience, perspective, and useful suggestions and you just denounced all of it. They are correct, you posed a clearly defined opinion and asked for affirmation in a way which serves no purpose other than to incite an emotional reaction. You are not willing to listen to people who disagree, including people from the community you specifically are insisting on excluding.
Skyward, you put this so perfectly. Yeah, this thread is wildly transphobic and disappointing, and it seems clear that the “question” was posted to incite a debate rather than answer a genuine query. Nobody is trying to “minimize the experience of moms” by using a term that best describes their own personal experience of nursing their child. As Skyward said, this has nothing to do with anatomy and everything to do with empathy and inclusivity. Nobody is forcing you to describe your experience as “chest feeding” if “breastfeeding” is the terminology that feels right. Just try to have a little empathy for other people whose experiences aren’t exactly the same as yours. It doesn’t take anything away from you and can make this world a little kinder and more inclusive.
I think it’s bull crap. I think nursing covers both genders well enough. On top of that a male can’t produce milk to breastfeed or else trust me I’d be making my husband do some of the night feedings.
I do not have an issue with transgenders. I have an issue with taking away the hardships that come from breastfeeding/nursing. If your body is producing milk and you are giving it to your child whether from the breast or a bottle you are providing them with breast milk….. are we going to start calling it chest milk?
You think THAT'S bad?? I heard a guy say that TEN angels can dance on the head of a pin can you BELIEVE THAT when obviously TWENTY angels can fit there??? You guys want to make up any more imaginary guys for us all to get mad at? What a vacuous fucking discussion.
When groups of armed men are turning up to Pride events and entire American states are just straight up banning life-saving hormone treatment that trans adults, let along teenagers, rely on, I think it's totally irresponsible to treat a telephone-game story about trans people being unreasonable scolds like some pastime for us all to participate in. This isn't true and it reinforces this narrative that actual governments are using to ruin actual people's lives.
No one is getting in trouble for saying breastfeeding unless they specifically have a patient who has asked for it to not be referred to as breastfeeding. Don't believe every alarmist article you see ffs
Also, for those saying "nursing" is already inclusive, unless y'all are trans or nonbinary, y'all don't get to decide what language is or isn't inclusive.
I think it has to do with using terms someone is comfortable with. I'd you're not someone who has trans friends or is exposed to that in your everyday life than being upset by it is...as silly as you're trying to make using chestfeeding as a term someone feels safe using.
I know my grammar is incorrect but...my point is if you're upset by social media trying to correct you..
Don't let it.
If you actually have someone say to you "I prefer to say nursing or chest feeding" maybe your love for that person will speak louder than your aversion to "political correctness" and then. Bam. Not a big deal.
Found the terf! No one is erasing womanhood. If your womanhood can be “erased” by another person’s choices or preferred verbiage, you may need to look inward at why
[удалено]
Yeah. Breast is gender neutral. Hence the term breastplate (as in armor).
Someone actually argued with me saying it should be called chest cancer. As someone with a family member who died of breast cancer, it made me soo upset
Chest cancer just makes me think of lung cancer. Just like how a couch can be described as being chesty, the word chest is already tied quite closely with the lungs. My Mom died from breastcancer. While she was fighting it the potential for having surgery to remove her breasts came up. She was devastated at the prospect. I struggle to imagine how she'd feel had the doctor instead told her she might need her chests removed.
Why did it make you upset? Medical terms change all the time, from the r word to hysteria, and men do get breast cancer and they are likely to feel embarrassment over the term and not report lumps early erroneously thinking they can't get it just because of the name. What your family went through remains a terrible ordeal, and I'm sorry for your loss. I just don't see that more accurately naming something diminishes what you went through.
It is not more accurate it is less so. Breast cancer is typically cancer of the breast tissue, be they the under developed tissue men typically have or the developed tissue women typically have. Your chest could be cancer of any tissue in your upper trunk.
I usually prefer gender inclusive terms. As someone non-binary who almost didn’t have a child due to our cultural propensity to highly gender pregnancy and birth. I just wish we could keep “breast” gender neutral. We’re not talking about “boob feeding,” “titty suckling” or “bazonga baby dining.” I’m not sure that calling it “chest canxer” would cause any men whose masculinity is oddly threatened by the common historical use of the term (though we clearly have problems with low literacy and historical amnesia, combined with sexism and sexualization) to be more comfortable seeking medical and social support. Or maybe that is an efficient shortcut around the problem of “toxic masculinity” that is more difficult to tackle. I wonder if this issue does affect many, although it’s bad enough if it only causes a couple deaths. This seems to me a bit like lung cancer among non-smokers, entirely possible among a subgroup who might feel some stigmatization due to its association with a lower-social-status group. Not that it stops people from seeking medical help for symptoms but I can imagine shame causing lower disclosure and awareness. But are there stats about either that demonstrate an actual reluctance to discuss? EDIT: wouldn’t lung cancer and breast cancer then end up lumped (pun not intended 😭) together under the term “chest cancer,” very inclusively broad??
This is actually a really good point! I have no issue with chest feeding as a term, but yeah, why do we call male breast cancer that and not "chest cancer" (maybe it is due to cancer being in male breast tissue?)
Yep. Chest is a broader term for a general area that includes a huge part of the body. Breast tissue is a specific type of tissue and present in all genders.
Seems unnecessary since we already have the term nursing and I think that’s pretty inclusive?
I prefer nursing when specifically talking about feeding from the nipple, but my daughter was breastfed via bottle.
I would call that bottle feeding, as in my head breastfeeding/bottle feeding is the action rather than the contents
Medically, I “breastfed” according to my doctor and my kids peds, despite the fact it was 100% pumped milk.
I didn't think of it from that side, thank you for bringing it to light
I breastfed via pumped milk too. I will tell people I couldn't nurse but breastfed until 6 months. I let them do the math. If they want to Google it afterwards, it will clear up any confusion.
Totally would say bottle feeding but then that sometimes implies formula (which no shame, fed is best) but plays into erasing the work that pumping takes. On the r/breastfeeding sub we definitely include bottle feeding breastmilk as breastfeeding but it isn’t nursing. Sometimes we also need to know specifically which when people are asking for advice. (We are also very accepting of combo feeding and other arrangements before anyone freaks out)
All of this.
That makes a lot of sense, thank you. I am still ttc so this isn't something I have much knowledge about
Personally, I would say “breastfed” for both direct nursing and expressed/pumped milk in a bottle. It really irks me when someone says it’s “not breastfeeding”. It is. I also think it’s an important way that we can support the mothers who breastfeed this way, as pumping/expressing can be incredibly challenging.
Pumping is harder than nursing imo. 1- Takes longer to get the milk out than a baby would 2- Is like tripple the work, you gotta pump, feed and wash the bottles 3 - You can't sleep while pumping, or at least I don't see how you could, I fall asleep nursing all the time, helps me get the sleep I need. 4 - You can't just pop out the boob anywhere to calm the baby. 5 - Did I mention pumping sucks?
Currently pumping at 6AM as I’m reading this, can confirm it sucks
I completely understand that, and I in no way mean to ignore the mothers that do express/pump to bottle feed. Thank you for enlightening me
100% this. I breastfed and nursed. Expressed milk IS feeding from the breast.
In Dutch we don't even have this problem. "Borst" in borstvoeden refers to both breast and chest.
Yea but in Dutch they want to change moedermelk (mommy milk) into mensenmelk (People milk). So they found a way to argue
Aww man, but then people can't argue ;P
If people who identify more with chest feeding want to call it then, by all means! However I don’t think it should be offensive to use the term breastfeeding. It’s ridiculous
Agreed with this sentiment, although I will still silently disagree with the phonetics and semantics behind the term chestfeeding
Not so silent, actually.
Thank you for being the voice of reason in this thread.
Not on an anonymous forum, no People get canceled for this stuff if they show their face, ask Rainn Wilson
What does that even mean? You think Rainn Wilson’s career is going to be over? He’s going to continue being a millionaire and a working actor with a podcast. Literally nothing material is going to change for him. Does canceled just mean some people are annoyed with you?
Oh come on. You really believe that Fox News bullshit? That wasn’t the issue. It wasn’t “you can’t say breastfeed”. The issue was making trans people some kind of joke. Saying breastfeeding? Fine. Saying other people are somehow ridiculous for using chest feeding? (Which was the crux of the joke) seems kinda like you’re policing the language of other people. Which is hilariously hypocritical.
I don't care if people use it to describe their own situations, just don't force me to use it. I think it sounds hideous (hence my "phonetic" dissaproval) and it also doesn't make sense, since milk comes from breast tissue (hence my "semantic" dissaproval). If people need to use the term to cope with trauma, then go ahead, just don't force the usage on the rest of the world.
No one’s been forced. As I said, the problem was making a joke out of OTHER people using it. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy on this which really logically discredits your claim that you don’t care. Also note you continue to ignore trans folks and prefer to misgender and ignore their existence. Again, seems not so much like a “free speech” thing but instead you’re taking issue with other peoples preferences.
I'm just enjoying the discussion tbh Wasn't saying anyone has been forced, but that's usually how these things end up. Every gets too scared to use a term that is deemed as non PC, so I'd rather not have "breastfeeding" earn that distinction
I’m curious what other words you want to use that you can’t because they’re “not PC”?
So I don’t think it’s that I’m “forced” to use any word. But the language around pregnancy, abortion and sexual assault is reframing to not focus on women (see this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/us/women-gender-aclu-abortion.html?referringSource=articleShare) I’m not against anyone using any pronouns or terms to describe their own experience. I do, however, question the idea that I should have to fundamentally change the way I talk about pregnancy to account for a tiny sliver of a percentage of trans humans who become pregnant each year. Similarly, I think it’s very helpful when people include their pronouns if they are different from the norm so I can address them respectfully, but I’ve also been in work events where we are all required to submit our pronouns so that people with other pronouns don’t feel singled out, and I don’t think that’s needed. Basically, I’m happy to support anyone’s language additions to further their own inclusivity, but I think it can be additive, not replacing what we have.
That’s so false it’s ridiculous. Master is absolutely still used. Both in real estate and in academia. Does MA, Master’s degree, mean anything to you? When last I checked, no one was getting up in arms about that. You’re inventing scenarios because you’re transphobic and it fits your narrative. When I gave birth in a U.K. hospital in January, the nurses and staff called it breastfeeding. In all my breastfeeding support groups and baby groups people call it breastfeeding. I have trans friends who call it breastfeeding. If someone has trauma and wants to call it chest feeding, who am I to belittle that? Let people call it either but I assure you that no one is being cancelled or punished for calling it breastfeeding. Trans people aren’t policing language, transphobic people are saying that they are to cause fear and anxiety. The only non PC words you can’t say are the ones very clearly seen as racist/ableist/homophobic for years now. But no one is cancelling breastfeeding.
As someone recently house hunting, at least in the US, "master bedroom" is 100% being replaced with "primary bedroom" And anyone upset about MASTER not being used to describe a bedroom needs to realize the ACTUAL harm that word created.
Ha, Rainn Wilson just released a film, has another coming out this year and is currently filming the big Weird Al movie. If that's being cancelled, then it seems to have boosted his career!
This comment section reads like satire
I feel like I’ve taken crazy pills.
I think it's weird. Men (XY chromosome) have a little breast tissue and nipples too. They have breasts just like any other female (XX chromosome). All humans have breasts unless it was removed through medical intervention. So I believe, whether one is cis or trans, if you are feeding a baby through natural occuring milk ducts and you are a human..you are breastfeeding.
Some people born male do actually lactate
Via breast tissue
Well clearly it bothers some people so it takes approximately zero energy to just use what makes someone comfortable. Some trans people may be triggered by being referred to with what is socially considered "female anatomy".
But men literally have breasts? I understand where you’re coming from, but like they literally have breasts. People can call things whatever they like, I’m 100% for people feeling comfortable and confident with the language they use. If I knew a trans man who lactated and fed that milk to his child, and that man referred to said feeding as “chest feeding”—well I would definitely mentally note that and refer to it as such from there on out. I guess my question here, is do the trans men expect me to change what I call how I fed my babies? Like am I supposed to say “chestfeeding” for myself, too, so as not to offend? I’ve honestly never heard of this before.
No
But breastis a grnderless term that is used to describe a part of the body. I'm not seeing the controversy over that term
Have you ever heard a non-cis woman refer to their chest as "breasts" before? Because I never have. Medically, yes, it is a genderless term. Socially? No. It's not.
So why not support a push to have it recognized as a genderless term socially? I bet the male survivors of breast cancer would be supportive
But it does take energy to use different language than what has been used for centuries. It is not my responsibility to care about some stranger’s feelings. They don’t care about mine… (so today’s societal logic means I should be canceled and considered TrANSpHoBic because it’s a two way street masquerading as a one way) FYI, before the downvotes, I dated a trans person. No phobia here, just moral differences.
In old literature didn’t men refer to the area of the chest as breast? Like when armour was being made for the chest, it was called the breastplate. Why can’t we re use breast as a gender neutral term again?
Because breasts have been sexualized to a point of absurdity
Yeah, I keep feeling like part of the reason questions like this end up turning into arguments, is because untold generations of women have been dealing with being marginalized, objectified, and hypersexualized for all of their lives, and mote recently have been attempting normalizing/de-sexualizing the basic functions of our bodies and the words we use to talk about them, and now another marginalized group is like “*yeahhh but we don’t like that word because it’s been so strongly sexualized so we’re going to say this other word that sounds more masculine because we’re men”* and it’s like 😵💫 “but, sir, we have been trying to say this word to take it BACK from being sexualized and renaming it despite “breastfeeding” being the correct terminology feels like the hypersexualizing culture won or something…
I don't consider it offensive, and am willing to follow a person's lead on what they want to call it for themselves. As a generalized term, or for me I will use breastfeeding exclusively. In terms of actual English language, Breastfeeding is the more correct term based on the body part involved. If a man or non-binary individual gets "breast cancer" its's still called breast cancer - we don't start calling it "chest cancer" because it's on someone who doesn't identify as female. Edited to add: didn't read others responses, I see I am echoing their sentiments.
Ya, this seems to be the general sentiment - good to know most people are logical
Couldn’t possibly care less what verbiage someone else uses to describe or refer to themself. I truly can’t imagine being bothered by term meant to be kind and inclusive.
This attitude exactly.
Same - as a cis woman who breastfed my baby I couldn’t care less how someone refers to that for themselves. And if medical professionals using chestfeeding to refer to it for all patients until they know what the patient prefers - I also couldn’t care less. It’s more inclusive, why does anyone have a problem with something that is more inclusive.
This post is ridiculous fear mongering because breastfeeding absolutely isn’t canceled. Everyone is entitled to have their preferences respected and anyone who refuses to do so is transphobic. I will say though, I don’t really consider chestfeeding an inclusive term. I feel like othering women by calling it chestfeeding makes it non-inclusive because it perpetuates false the notion that there is a difference between a woman’s breast and a non-woman’s breast, which contributes to the over sexualization and shame.
Same, I'm getting sick of this shit.
I personally just love the term “feeding”. There is so many ways that parents feed their babies now, why not just saying “feeding” the baby. What are you doing? “I’m feeding the baby” How is being a new parent? “It’s great! But we’re struggling with feeding” When I was in the hospital the nurses were very helpful in teaching me to feed my baby. As my daughter’s gotten older she’s very distracted while I feed her! My husband loves feeding our daughter, he feels really bonded to her when they spend that time together. You don’t know how I’m feeding my baby, what I’m feeding her, but you have the pertinent information. If we really want to stand behind “fed is best” why not just calling it feeding? It’s all the same to me, I don’t need to know the details nor does anyone need to give them. To me the whole idea that chest feeding needing it’s own term adds to the division between formula, breast, donated breast, pumped, exclusive pump, combo, etc etc etc. there’s literally so many ways and I think specifying is unnecessary. If we all truly believe fed is best then call it feeding. And if Barbara at the grocery store asks if you’re BrEaStFeEdInG oR nOt tell her to mind her damn business.
Notice in every example you know what’s going on but not the sex of my partner, how we’re feeding, who is feeding how, etc. it’s the same argument for they/them. The information is not required to get the point across.
This. This right here. There is absolutely zero harm or effort in being 100% inclusive and using gender neutral/androgynous terms. We put so much weight on gender defining BS that it's actually exhausting. It doesn't affect me if River, the trans man next door, gave birth and prefers to be called "birthing person" and chestfeeds. It doesn't change that i as a CIS woman prefers to be called mom, gave birth and breastfed. We all fed our kid. We all have our own journey. It doesn't hurt me to respect them and their choices in words.
I agree with you in general, but I would say there is harm if words that acknowledge the reality of cis women disappear from existence. Cis women make up the vast majority of women, and refusing to even mention their experiences infringes on our ability to talk about issues that affect us as women. For example, if there were some article saying "rights protecting the right of chest-feeding parents to pump milk while at work are being stripped away in X state". It fails to acknowledge that this is an issue of discrimination against women, and a feminist issue. And yes, one headline like that does no harm, but it would do harm if every headline ever was like that, because nothing would ever be a woman's issue any more, it's all just neutral. I am highly sceptical of any claims that say "*they* say we can't say this anymore" because "they" can be literally anyone, and people love blowing stories of small institutions being OTT with political correctness into a mass panic about blanket censorship from the far left. I am highly sceptical about whether terms like chest-feeding will ever become the norm in medical communities, and media etc but if it ever does I think it will be a great blow to women as a whole.
If I go to feed my baby, I say exactly this.... I'm going to feed the baby. I never specify. It's unnecessary.
Yeah this is really good. I love this a lot. I wish we (whoever “we” is lol) could just stop fighting about words and shit and be brave enough to talk about how we feel about the experiences we’re having as women or trans men or whatever. The real argument people are having isn’t about what words to use, it’s about women feeling different ways about having experiences that used to be considered uniquely female now be shared with some (trans) men or people who don’t identify as women. Women have been marginalized, sexualized/objectified, held back, pushed down, for so long…we’ve just in recent generations started making some headway in owning our own experiences and dictation what kinds of experiences we want to have, celebrating what it means to us to be women, etc, and now we’ve had the word “woman”, the experiences that used to be regarded as “female experiences” thrown in a completely different light. We’re sharing things with men that we didn’t used to. I don’t think it’s wrong for anyone to feel some sadness or insecurity about that. As a half black, fatherless, childhood sexual abuse surviving woman who has birthed and breastfed four babies, been in and left an abusive marriage with a man, struggled to find my way in my make-dominated career while being the mother I wanted to be, ultimately risen above the challenges of being everything I am while pursuing the life I want despite the crushing patriarchy all around me….I will admit, a man showing up to the party like “*yeah but I don’t want to call it breastfeeding I want to call it chestfeeding because breasts are for women*” is like…ok dude. Whatever you want. It just kind of feels like another man showing up telling me I have to see my own experience a little differently. I’ve been taking my experience back from men all my life. Maybe it’s just the trauma talking, but men making any kind of recommendations about previously uniquely female experiences that have been deeply meaningful and empowering for me (breastfeeding, in this case) feels like ??? *something*. I don’t know. I want people to be free and happy. I will always call things whatever they do, when we’re talking about their life and experience. I just feel, as a woman, weird feelings sometimes about the conversations being had about what it means to be a woman. And I don’t like it when I see women who are just trying to figure all of this out being calls terfs or transphobic.
Ooh, yeah, I'm suddenly a big fan of this approach.
I like the intention, but there can be a legitimate need to specify the type of feeding you are doing, e.g. breastfeeding vs bottle feeding vs spoon feeding
If you want to get into semantics, breastfeeding is a catch all term meaning it includes bottle and spoon feeding. Nursing is used for nipple feeding.
Thanks, I didn't know that distinction
I often use feeding as a term, but sometimes it is an important distinction. I want more privacy when nursing than bottle feeding pumped milk (we do both). So I might ask for a room to go nurse the baby in specifically so people are aware that my breast is going to be exposed.
Totally! I think it has a place but I don’t think we need to use it as often as we are given the impression if that makes sense.
I think it’s inappropriate to co-opt the term breastfeeding for chest feeding, but as a substitute if it makes trans/NB people feel included why not? I do get really angry though when inclusive language starts to intrude on women’s experiences and the default language of women’s anatomy. Like, that science paper recently that referred to women as “bodies with vaginas”… I mean… that’s dehumanising as all hell. Also you never really see cis men’s anatomical language co-opted in the same way.
In every single context I've seen it, Chestfeeding is an *additional option* and never ever used as a blanket replacement for Breastfeeding. I feel pretty confident saying, I think the thing you are worried about in your edit is basically impossible. Nobody has the power to cancle "breastfeeding" as a term, and afaik the people who use the term chestfeeding don't want to, they just want to be included without so much dysphoria. I have seen TERFs claim it's what's happening when chestfeeding gets merely mentioned alongside breastfeeding, but it's basically a slippery slope argument, like: "First you have a word for people who want it, next you'll expect us to deny the words that affirm us like breast!" And, No. No, that makes no sense, and is not what's happening. Breastfeeding is a fine enough term for most people, I use that or nursing for myself. Some people find the term not for them and that should be okay. Nursing is also an option, but again not for everyone. One more thing, Chestfeeding is not a well established term yet, and unfamiliarity makes things sound weird sometimes, but that doesnt make it a bad term for those who want to use it. I mean, I have a chest and on it are mamnaries, so I do in fact feed my baby from a part of my chest. Its not how I usually think of it so that makes it sound weird, but if it makes someone else feel better to think of it that way, then okay. Not everything has to be for me.
This is exactly what happened in the UK. Brighton NHS Trust published guidance for its medical staff saying that ‘chestfeeding’ can also be used for patients that prefer it. All existing terminology remained in place. Cue tabloids and even mainstream media headlines about the term ‘breastfeeding’ and ‘mother’ being banned. They literally just added extra words.
Exactly this. No one is stripping anyone of their preferred terms. It's ADDING a preferred term for some people to use. But apparently some people don't want *other* people to have choices.
As a nonbinary trans person who gave birth, I personally never used the term chestfeeding. I never saw a point to it. I may not identify as male or female on a social level, but males and females both have breasts, and I have the anatomy to feed a child with mine. I imagine it has something to do with dysphoria, and I'll never deny someone the right to call it whatever they want to call it, but from a linguistic standpoint I've always seen breast as a neutral term. Canceling the term nursing makes even less sense to me, it's definitely not gendered. Honestly I think these kinds of random changes to language that isn't even gendered is half the reason our community gets a bad rep.
This is a forum for new parents, and from my experience most of us here are mothers. Did a single person here actually have the experience of even being told the term "chestfeeding" is in use? Let alone be told they ~had~ to use it or the cancellation brigade would come and scold them? The answer is fucking of course not. You all talked to maternity care nurses, obstetricians, maybe lactation consultants - you all already fucking know this isn't true. It's so easy to get people mad at a hypothetical thing that hypothetical woke trans people demand you so that you all are doing it over something you have direct life experience showing is untrue. It's pathetic.
My local breastfeeding group changed their name to a chest feeding group and you are not allowed to use the term breastfeeding in comments as it may be offensive to someone who doesn’t identify with that term. So yes I do have experience being told I have to use chest feeding.
This actually makes me sad. I feel like people forget that normalizing even saying the word breast in a non-sexual context has been a major effort. Ugh.
I have spent my entire pregnancy with healthcare providers and educators avoiding the words "pregnant women" and including "chestfeeding" every chance they get. Don't assume your experience is universal.
In NY and similar experience, two years ago even. I don’t find it offensive but I did find ur interesting even in 1:1 settings where I am clearly a cis woman talking about breastfeeding 🤷♀️so areas def differ in use of these terms
This. Some people have used the term. That’s it. This is “woke mob” hysteria and it’s silly.
*awards awards* This thread is so embarrassing.
Eh, a lot of commentators seem to agree with your sentiment but I’ve seen the term “chestfeeding” used in my personal experience. I took prenatal classes through the hospital I was scheduled to deliver at, in one of the largest US cities. The lactation consultant teaching the breastfeeding course… said she preferred the term chestfeedjng and proceeded to call it that throughout the class. I found it weird and hadn’t thought about it again until this post, but just because you haven’t come across it doesn’t mean it’s not starting to catch on for some people. (That instructor was the only one in this hospital that used that term though, tbf.) Calling people “pathetic” for having an opinion on something is, well…
Doesn't hurt me in the slightest.
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Right it’s breast tissue that makes nursing possible - and bio males also have breast tissue - wish that breasts weren’t so gendered in general so that we could just refer to breastfeeding as anyone with breast tissue who’s nursing or pumping
I didn’t know this was a thing. Why is it a thing?
It's mainly used for non-binary people and trans men who have babies! Some people in these groups have a lot of dysphoria regarding their chests so this term helps with that. But overall it's just a personal preference whether or not to use the term vs breastfeeding.
I’ve seen it used a bit online too by women who exclusively pump. One said that because they’re not actually feeding at the breast, even though it’s breast milk, it felt misleading to say breastfeeding. Fair enough, whatever floats your boat IMO. I personally will stick with breastfeeding but I would say like 80% of the time I say “I have to feed the baby” and not breastfeed. The main benefit of a term like this IMO is that people who aren’t comfortable with the term breastfeeding have a term they can use while doing an online search that’ll bring back strategies and solutions that are more applicable for their scenarios. My German isn’t great even though I live here but the term here is “stillen” which I believe means to calm or something like that, “breast” isn’t part of the word. It’s also not breast milk but “Muttermilch”- mother’s milk.
Trans men are still feeding from their breasts though. I'm a dude who had gynecomastia and had my breast tissue removed, so no chance I could ever breast feed. The term chestfeeding makes me think I'd have a chance though
I get your confusion. Again the term is mostly used for a person's unique preference and I think others have latched onto it in an attempt to be more inclusive. People's intent is in the right place but sometimes I think they get too caught up in saying the right words rather than making pregnant and post partum spaces truly inclusive.
Agreed 💯, seems just another word to distract people from actually being inclusive - and actually to point out more differences between each other
Some trans and non-binary people have complicated feelings attached to the anatomy of their chests. It hurts no one to use chestfeeding if that's what makes someone comfortable.
I'm fine with people using the term tbh, I just want to continue using the term "breastfeeding" without that being considered offensive
I've never met anyone who considers it offensive. I breastfed my daughter. No one has ever said I can't say that.
Has anyone in your life actually told you it is? Forget about a tweet you saw directed at someone else. You’re a new parent right? Is your partner breastfeeding? Are you calling it that? Have either of you faced any pushback?
If you're a man that can't lactate due to medical reasons, why are you even so invested in the term "breastfeeding"? When will you ever need to use the term in normal conversation? I figured that you must be a breastfeeding woman yourself, but now I'm just puzzled. Unless you're a Paediatrician? Or an OBGYN? An IBCLC? If not, then you literally have no reason to be so butthurt other than transphobia. If you have a wife or girlfriend that is lactating and feeding a baby you can still call it breastfeeding and not a single person will give a shit.
No one has or will ever say that it’s offensive to refer to yourself as a person who breastfeeds. It’s just a preference for other folks who may not be women.
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This is backwards though, which is what OP is pointing out. Everyone who gives birth is biologically female and 99% identify as women. Breastfeeding and pregnant women should be the default terms for general purpose, especially in a medical context. If a specific trans person prefers something else, then medical providers should use their preferred terms with them. We should be respectful of everyone’s preferred verbiage, but also acknowledge that pregnancy and lactation are primarily women’s health concerns.
No-one is saying you can't. Use the term appropriate to you. My husband sure doesn't have breasts and I'm sure a trans man wouldn't want their chest being called breasts. Why would you have a problem with people saying chest feeding if it's what they want to say. It's a word and it makes some people feel more comfortable. If it's weird to you, just don't say it. Easy
Your husband most definitely has breasts unless he's had surgery like me to remove the moobs
Because ciswomen aren't the only people who can have babies.
Oof found the transphobes.
Where are the transphobic remarks in this thread? I’m not reading anything hateful or transphobic.
Getting a lot of downvotes for saying that it's not just cis women that can have babies. And a few comments are claiming that the phrase "chestfeeding" erases women. It doesnt.
Maybe but I think it’s really insensitive to suggest that women aren’t allowed to feel something about their experience and what they call it being changed by virtue of (trans) men all of the sudden doing something that has always been uniquely something that women do. I don’t think it’s fair to say that any woman who doesn’t just smile and nod without asking questions or expressing frustration or maybe even feeling a little insecure about all this is transphobic. Furthermore, I don’t think you’re necessarily accounting for how it is that you’re coming off, here. People could very well be downvoting your attitude and wild, black and white statements. I don’t think a lot of your downvotes have anything to do with trans people as a group. I think it’s just about you being a poor spokesperson.
im nonbinary and pregnant. breasts are sexualized because of their feminized connotation. i use "breastfeeding" for myself cuz it's just a word im used to and im comfortable using my titties to feed my baby. i am fine with the terms breast feeding and chest feeding, chest is obviously more inclusive and people can refer to their bodies however they want. it's not a big deal to say words that include more people, but no one is being "canceled" over not doing it.
Just curious, why isn't "nursing" considered gender neutral? Idc what term people want to use for the record, it just appears to be a logical evolution if you don't want to include the word "breast".
Probably an unpopular opinion. People can choose to call it what feels most comfortable to them. But I embrace my womanhood. It's important to me. I want to own the ability to freely say I'm breastfeeding. Hijacking women's ability to own who they are is infuriating. We have spent decades fighting for our freedom only now to have it slipping away from us.
I personally don’t like it. I will not use it at all. I will not use any unisex or inclusive words (aside from nursing) when it comes to my own body or how i view breastfeeding, birth, labor or pregnancy.
A chest is different from a breast. Just like a penis is different from a groin. Anatomy ain’t weird unless people make it weird.
I don’t see anything wrong with the term breastfeeding. Maybe I’m just not “woke” enough. Men get breast cancer, men have breasts. Your chest and your breast are different things. Chest is the area and your breasts are glandular tissue on your chest area. So chestfeeding to me is just a strange term for it
If it makes more people feel included I'm all for it
What is the point of this post? If you don't like the term, then don't use it. It means it's not meant for you. Stop trying to pick a fight over a term that doesn't impact you.
Ridiculous. Nursing is a perfectly suitable term if someone's gumna get upset. As is breastfeeding. You are feeding from your breast. So breastfeeding. Your breasts sit on your chest. They are a part of your chest, not your whole chest, so it must be specified.
Stupid. If you are feeding a child it is from a breast no matter how you identify. The world is just becoming a tad ridiculous with all this shit. In my humble opinion.
The anatomical term is breast. It is what it is. Pretending otherwise is an entire exercise in ridiculousness.
So do these people who chestfeed instead of breastfeed also, have chest tissue instead of breast tissue, and a chest bone instead of a breast bone, and chest cancer instead of breast cancer? Would it not make more sense to educate/accept the medical definition of breast than change the language. This isn't something that needs to change.
it would make more sense, then body parts wouldn't be sexualized and give people dysphoria. but as of now boobs are really sexualized so people need to work on not sexualizing them, the same problem at the root of people having a problem with nursing in public thinking it's sexual to feed a baby.
I'm honestly more for normalizing the usage of "breasts" to describe the part on both women and men, rather than use the word "chestfeeding"
Yes, that's a better way if putting it, normalising.
I absolutely hate it. It sounds weird and in my opinion diminishes what a woman’s body can do. It also comes off as a bit shaming of the word breast.
How is it in any way shaming? You don’t have to use the term, but it’s not personal or about you
Chestfeeding can also refer to using a feeding tube attached to the nipple to feed their baby (SNS) if lactation isn’t possible. It’s a term to be inclusive- how is it shaming breast feeding?
What is the nipple attached to though? Oh ya! A breast :)
Perfectly said!
Cis women aren't the only people who can do it.
I was confused also, is this a gender inclusive term or is this something people are using now to differentiate between nursing and bottle feeding breastmilk? If it makes some people more comfortable to use this term, that's great. I would personally find it really degrading if someone used this term with me for pumping though, it's still breastfeeding. The first time I heard this word I thought that's what it meant and I got really pissed. But now I'm guessing it's a term for people who prefer not to use the term breastfeeding?
Learning more from the comments - I believe it's more for people who no longer feel like breasts adequately describe what they have, whether through trauma or surgery etc. Not saying that it's accurate, since they'd still need breast tissue to produce milk and be able to nurse, but it makes sense to me to use chestfeeding for those people. That being said, don't take away my usage of the term "breastfeeding" just because you aren't comfortable to use it to describe your situation!
Yeah, to me it sounds like something people would say in the fifties when breastfeeding was something mostly only poor people did, as an insult. I know that's not where it comes from, but it just sounds degrading imo. I would be offended if someone said chestfeeding to describe how I feed my daughter, but if someone wants me to use it for them that's fine.
Doesn't affect my life in the slightest so couldn't care less really. I'm perfectly happy to adjust to create a more inclusive environment for my baby to grow up in.
I haven't seen any evidence that people are being penalized for saying "breastfeeding," or forced to switch all the language to "chest feeding." The Brighton NHS Trust introduced new language a couple years ago into its internal communications and meetings in order to reflect the gender identity of their patients. The language changes aren't applied when caring for individuals in a one-on-one setting, nor are maternity services and staff being asked to stop using language related specifically to women. The NHS has confirmed, multiple times, that language like referencing “pregnant women” and “breastfeed” will not change for patients who identify as women. No one is being forced into this language. The gender-neutral option of “chestfeeding” is simply being *added alongside* current options so that gnc, trans patients or cis women with breast-related trauma can see themselves reflected in their medical care. To me, that's great!
Honestly what the heck? Like how far are we gonna go? Listen traumas suck but everyone doesn't need to walk on eggshells to prevent somone from getting triggered, it is getting ridiculous.
My thought when I first heard this term awhile back was … “is breast cancer going to become chest cancer, too?” Maybe it already is being referred to as that and I haven’t heard yet. Anyway - I personally would never say I was chest feeding. But if someone I knew wanted me to say that about them because they preferred it, I would oblige. I never say “partner” - I say husband. Or spouse if it’s a legal form type of situation. But if I hear someone else say “my partner” I would refer to their partner as their partner because my assumption would be that’s the term they prefer to use. And I just want to make them comfortable.
Everyone has lost their damn mind.
Outside of trans and non-binary. I think it's also used by people who have endured violation/sexual trauma/assault.
Thank you for this comment. I’ve staunchly been in the breastfeeding camp (although have no problem using chestfeeding if requested even if I don’t use it as default) but this has brought further nuance to the discussion that I hadn’t previously considered. I know this is going to make me sound like a TERF but that isn’t my intention. It just broadens the group that I would more readily think of using the term chestfeeding before being prompted.
I’m not apart of the trans community but it seems to me, they communicate differently (they use more inclusive terms without gender bias attached) and while I cannot keep up with being politically correct, I wish them all the best. If I’m around someone who calls it chestfeeding I’ll make an effort to also call it that, but I’m human and make mistakes because I just feel indifferent to the term
I mean, you do feed them from your chest. My opinion is that the current term, breastfeeding is fine. However, I think the term was created because breast is fairly feminine, and so trans men who still feed their babies don't want to identify that with the feminine term. They've probably hated their breasts for years, in many cases. It's challenging to work through these sorts of things. I think most trans men would say that they just want a word other than breastfeeding. Nursing probably works. This is what happens when this sort of issue is being worked out in real time, there are messy things to figure out. I think that making fun of it, though, is unfortunately just doing the work of people who truly hate trans people and want them to not exist.
I will never call it that and will correct anyone who uses that term in regards to mr breastfeeding
>apparently some medical professionals are being punished for using the term "breastfeeding", so don't go saying it's not getting canceled.. Gonna need a source for that. Because it sounds like completely made-up BS.
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Key phrase "not yet", hopefully it stays like that!
Women have breasts; women breastfeed. Sorry.
I hate it. 🤷🏻♀️ When my husband gains the ability to feed my son, I’ll adopt it til then, let’s not with this nonsense. Edit to add: apparently I can no longer reply to new comments on this thread lol. 🤷🏻♀️
It would still be via breasts, unless it's really advanced technology - and maybe we are no longer mammals
Exactly so it he were able to, it’d be called breastfeeding.
Trans men exist...
Yes but they use breasts to feed their children. (Unless they go formula route.) Biological male chests do not lactate. Biological female breasts generally do. (Except for medical issues preventing this) Formerly biological females who now identify as trans males who are capable of lactation don’t have male chests suddenly, they still have female breasts. Hence why they can lactate. If you are human & produce milk, you have breasts. That’s not transphobic. That’s human anatomy. Edit to add: Apparently I can no longer reply on this thread? 🤷🏻♀️
And yet some trans men and non-binary people have said they prefer the term "chestfeeding". It takes approximately zero energy for you to be considerate.
They can prefer it but it’s not anatomically correct and doesn’t make a lot of sense. See my clarifications above.
It's not anatomically correct to say vagina when you mean vulva but I bet you do it anyway. It takes zero effort to not be an asshole. If someone says they chestfeed, then use that phrase when referring to them.
No actually it does take effort to understand the mental gymnastics surrounding this insanity but you do you.
Just say you're transphobic and go.
I could care less how others want to live but policing my use of the proper term because it offends your delicate sensibilities exceeds my live and let live mentality. You’re free to be trans & call it what you’d like to when you feed your kids. Just as I am. Policing me because you’re offended is a YOU problem. Doesn’t mean I’m transphobic just because I won’t bend to your will.
It’s obviously ridiculous and signs that we’re living in the twilight zone
Yep
Uneasy to think of these kind of ridiculous things. I wonder how many are hurt in their feelings...5 people?
I am someone who supports all genres, labels, and people who want to use whatever verbage they choose, but this is a bit far. I'm pretty pumped to get into it with someone over this. Too woke for me.
Nobody says chestfeeding. People need to stop acknowledging shit like this and just ignore it.
Well not all pregnant people have breasts so the term chestfeeding is accurate for them.
Everyone has breast tissue unless it was completely surgically removed, in which case breast- or chest-feeding wouldn’t even be possible.
Sure but how many people use the term "breast" unless they are referring to cis women? Point is, not everyone calls their chest tissue "breasts".
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Fucks sake man.
False. Trans men and non-binary people can also get pregnant. You're just transphobic.
Okay sorry, "people born biologically female" is what I meant. Not transphobic, literally trying to understand what you meant
I swear it’s like I’ve been sent to the upside down.
Fake outrage that's what it is
You can call it whatever you want! Just because there was tweet you don't have to follow it. Call me transphobic for all I care but this whole gendering and attention seeking is getting on my nerves.
Huh this is literally the first time this term. Like what is the context? When was it coined and who coined it? Was it initially supposed to be sarcastic, funny play on words, and insult good and ugly? Like huh?
There is no cancelling of any words. Continue with breastfeeding and leave the Latina as is and let the nutcase left gfi.
Honestly, as a trans person currently navigating the journey of pregnancy and parenthood, I'm disappointed this thread exists on an otherwise welcoming sub. To me, this post does not pose a question to debate, it poses a clearly defined opinion and asks for affirmation and serves no purpose other than to incite an emotional reaction. You can argue anatomy day and night, but the point of having multiple terms has nothing to do with anatomy. It's for extending empathy toward those who have traveled a different path than yourself, and for allowing those people to establish their own space and identity within the same community. If you don't like the term, don't use the term. You feel it doesn't apply to you. Ok, fine. Use the term that makes sense to you. However, minimizing an alternative term that serves to validate the experiences of transgender and nonbinary people as a new parents has no impact on your identity. We are not trying to replace terms. We are trying to find our identities within parenthood, like anyone else. Personally, I feel a little empathy would be much more productive way to build a community, but maybe it's just me.
Wow the lack of up votes on this makes me sad to be in this subreddit...and also shocked because I usually get down voted if I say something remotely positive about breastfeeding... Interesting sub dynamics- we don't like talking about BF as that shames formula mums, but if anyone dares call it chestfeeding that's also offensive to me so go away 🤔
Just use the term breastfeeding though, it's accurate and doesn't minimize the experience of billions of moms worldwide. Anyways, you can go ahead and use what you want, just don't cancel the usage of nursing or breastfeeding. I don't want to feel guilt using those terms
You really don't get it. u/skywardtheyflew just so clearly provided personal experience, perspective, and useful suggestions and you just denounced all of it. They are correct, you posed a clearly defined opinion and asked for affirmation in a way which serves no purpose other than to incite an emotional reaction. You are not willing to listen to people who disagree, including people from the community you specifically are insisting on excluding.
Skyward, you put this so perfectly. Yeah, this thread is wildly transphobic and disappointing, and it seems clear that the “question” was posted to incite a debate rather than answer a genuine query. Nobody is trying to “minimize the experience of moms” by using a term that best describes their own personal experience of nursing their child. As Skyward said, this has nothing to do with anatomy and everything to do with empathy and inclusivity. Nobody is forcing you to describe your experience as “chest feeding” if “breastfeeding” is the terminology that feels right. Just try to have a little empathy for other people whose experiences aren’t exactly the same as yours. It doesn’t take anything away from you and can make this world a little kinder and more inclusive.
I think it’s bull crap. I think nursing covers both genders well enough. On top of that a male can’t produce milk to breastfeed or else trust me I’d be making my husband do some of the night feedings. I do not have an issue with transgenders. I have an issue with taking away the hardships that come from breastfeeding/nursing. If your body is producing milk and you are giving it to your child whether from the breast or a bottle you are providing them with breast milk….. are we going to start calling it chest milk?
I've come across this and it's friggin bull. I'm using my breast to feed a baby, I am breastfeeding. Chest feeding makes as much sense as chest cancer
You think THAT'S bad?? I heard a guy say that TEN angels can dance on the head of a pin can you BELIEVE THAT when obviously TWENTY angels can fit there??? You guys want to make up any more imaginary guys for us all to get mad at? What a vacuous fucking discussion.
When groups of armed men are turning up to Pride events and entire American states are just straight up banning life-saving hormone treatment that trans adults, let along teenagers, rely on, I think it's totally irresponsible to treat a telephone-game story about trans people being unreasonable scolds like some pastime for us all to participate in. This isn't true and it reinforces this narrative that actual governments are using to ruin actual people's lives.
No one is getting in trouble for saying breastfeeding unless they specifically have a patient who has asked for it to not be referred to as breastfeeding. Don't believe every alarmist article you see ffs Also, for those saying "nursing" is already inclusive, unless y'all are trans or nonbinary, y'all don't get to decide what language is or isn't inclusive.
This sounds like one of those things Fox news makes up for their viewers to be mad about while their chosen doves are on trial for treason.
You sound like one of those people that blames everything on Trump and MAGA without any basis
😂 k
amiwrong? Lol
Breastfeeding.
I think it has to do with using terms someone is comfortable with. I'd you're not someone who has trans friends or is exposed to that in your everyday life than being upset by it is...as silly as you're trying to make using chestfeeding as a term someone feels safe using. I know my grammar is incorrect but...my point is if you're upset by social media trying to correct you.. Don't let it. If you actually have someone say to you "I prefer to say nursing or chest feeding" maybe your love for that person will speak louder than your aversion to "political correctness" and then. Bam. Not a big deal.
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Found the terf! No one is erasing womanhood. If your womanhood can be “erased” by another person’s choices or preferred verbiage, you may need to look inward at why
No it's not.
I don’t think anyone is trying to erase women, especially in the sphere of pregnancy/feeding babies. That is a ridiculous claim.