When breast isn’t best
by Heather Welford, The Critic:
Here is the latest update from a previously unshelled trench in the sex and gender war: the British branch of the oldest international breastfeeding support organisation is fighting the majority of its volunteer trustees on its Council of Directors.
This is the battleground that impacts maternity and breastfeeding — the very territory where you might think gender identity ran a justifiable second place to the biological reality of pregnancy, birth and early nurturing.
But to comply with the policies of La Leche League International, its larger US-dominated overseer, La Leche League Great Britain has decided that — contrary to what its dissenting trustees say its charitable aims and governing documents attest — it is not and cannot be a single-sex network of mothers, helping other mothers. In fact, the very word “mother” is caveated.
Why? Because of “inclusion”. Now, men who either claim to be women or who just feel impelled to breastfeed can ask for help, information and support to do so. The LLL directors who have objected have been told by their US bosses and their UK director colleagues to get with the programme, you bigots, or get out.
Of course, they don’t say “bigots”. Instead, they remind the objectors that LLL is concerned to be available to “all”, without “roadblocks”. These roadblocks include the word “mother”; if it’s used, it must be combined with a clear statement that this doesn’t mean LLL is restricted to “one population of people”. Perish the thought. Instead, they’re told to ensure their public-facing comms use words like “lactating parent”.
LLL-GB is fighting back though. A majority of their Council of Trustees has reported their organisation to the UK Charity Commissioners, as any change to LLL’s stated aims and objectives cannot be decided unilaterally. An email explaining why has been circulated to all members.
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