http://www.rue89.com/2009/03/06/is-breastfeeding-feminist-or-not

In a report made public last Tuesday, the Academy of Medicine 
recommended breastfeeding and longer postnatal maternity leave. I was 
wondering what feminists thought of this. Are they furious about more 
pressure on women? Not really. They are, in fact, quite divided over the 
issue.

My first reaction was to telephone Héloise, my feminist friend, who has 
been an active member of Tumultueuses (a French feminist forum) for a 
short while. At the other end of the line, she is annoyed about the 
temptation to confuse women with 'milking cows'. She is not at all 
against breastfeeding, but denounces a “current pro-breastfeeding climate”:

“What irritates me the most is that society doesn't realize that it is 
long, that it is our bodies and that we have the right to do what we 
want with them. The reality is that breastfeeding takes five hours a day 
and that it hurts. So it really needs to be a choice.”

In 2006, Libération published an article that surprised me (“Ce 
sacro-sein allaitement”). Brought up to the the tune of “breastfeeding 
is brilliant and good for the baby's health”, I was surprised to 
discover women who were complaining about the way society views them.

“It sees to me that if you want to breastfeed, it's a fight. You have to 
justify yourself, accept being seen as an 'animal', have the strength to 
go to work with your express machine or stay at home for many months and 
be frowned upon by the company you work for.”
---
Slightly more on link.

Morgan Gallagher


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