by Colum Motherway, Extra.ie
A breastfeeding conference in Galway has been cancelled over ‘health and safety concerns’ following the inclusion of a speaker who has previously talked about ‘male lactation’ as a ‘kink’.
The conference, organised by the Association of Lactation Consultants of Ireland (ALCI), was set to be held at the Ardilaun Hotel in October.
Jacob Engelsman was included in the list of speakers at the event, though his previous discussions surrounding ‘male lactation’ raised concerns among some volunteers.
The speaker has advocated in the past for the inclusion of men who identify as women in breastfeeding support groups, calling it ‘inclusive parenting’.
However, Engelsman has also talked about the act as a ‘kink’ for some people.
Breastfeeding support volunteer and former midwife Sorcha Nic Lochlainn has spoken out against this, stressing that ‘child safeguarding must always be prioritised’.