On 23/02/2012 18:33, Ingrid wrote:
>
> I'm less concerned about 'making people feel bad' than I am about being
> accurate, especially when there's the potential to make this much difference
> just by changing the terms we use.
>

Ingrid, the trouble with that is that making people feel bad isn't a 
very effective way to go about advocacy.  It backfires.  It puts them 
off and makes them less likely to want to listen to us.

Using the word 'fake' isn't just about achieving accuracy (which is 
questionable anyway here, since 'fake' carries connotations of someone 
trying to deceive us into thinking it's the original; although formula 
manufacturers have been guilty plenty of times of trying to convince us 
that formula is *as good as* breast milk, they are not passing it off 
*as* breast milk, so I think the term 'fake' would not be technically 
accurate anyway).  It's also a way of conveying our distaste, 
disapproval, and negative judgements to the listener.  We can do that 
with women who formula feed or have formula-fed; or we can come across 
as the kind of sympathetic, compassionate people they're actually going 
to want to listen to and take advice from.   But I don't believe we can 
effectively do both, and I know which takes priority for me.


With best wishes,

Sarah Vaughan

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