> Let me tell you why this is a sore spot for me. Several organizations out
> there (and I am not even talking right now about breastfeeding ones) tell
> their members that they have to advocate for the cause over the individual
> mother's rights. That if they are going to be making a legal argument that
> 'hurts the cause' that they cannot do so, and will be shunned from the
> organization.
>
Well said. Thank you for the enlightening comments about terminology. I
agree that advocacy -- in the sense of action in the name of a cause --
tends to obscure differences in need, ability, desire, etc. I might add
that the "vox" in advocacy needs to be the mother's voice. If we start
from the premise that each baby is a unique person, then it makes sense
that every breastfeeding relationship, each family, grows in special and
individual ways. I *do* think there is a need for somebody to be
promoting causes and struggling for rights. I do *not* think that this
kind of advocacy is either more important than or utterly separate from
the work of helping mothers and babies. We all have a role to play.
However, each mother and each breastfeeding supporter may define 'the
cause' differently, and making pronouncements about advocacy can be
insensitive and disrespectful. Empowering a mother with information and
support is almost always an act of respect and sensitivity. (I am only
saying "almost" because absolutes are often abusive; I can't actually
think of a situation in which accurate and complete information and
deep-rooted and highly-principled support would be a bad thing...)
Jo-Anne Elder-Gomes, PhD, IBCLC

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html