First, let me make it clear that I admittedly support equal rights for women
and men in every arena.  Those of you who have other views are hereby
notified that this is my bias and it will color everything I say, always.
Let me also hasten to add that this is relevant to breastfeeding; read on.

One understanding of gender equality is to 'allow' women to participate in
activities previously dominated by men, and just pretend that women's bodies
are exactly like men's, which results in punishing women for having
specifically female bodily functions, such as preferring to squat to pee, or
menstruating, or - heaven forbid - committing procreation.  This, however,
is a concept of likeness (not equality!) and it is without basis in reality.
In reality people come in at least two genders and they are not the same.
It might not be obvious to us fish who swim in these waters, that these
premises for 'likeness' are defined in terms of one gender, at the expense
of another.  The two main genders seem to be equally necessary for our
species to realize its potential.

Gender equality as I understand it means that no matter what your gender,
you will have an equal chance to anyone else, to realize your full personal
(or should I say perchildal?) potential.  The consequences of such a
definition are very different from the consequences of pretending something
that isn't true.  It means that you make sure that the gender who gestates
and lactates, which in humans is incidentally the same gender, is neither
discriminated against, to the advantage of the gender that is less able to
gestate and lactate, nor favored, to that gender's disadvantage.

Young children may be treated as practically gender-free in such a paradigm,
as both genders have an equal need for breastmilk at that stage.

An orthodox feminist approach will take into account the harmful effects of
every alternative as well as the beneficial ones, and try to support a way
that maximizes benefit while minimizing harm to all parts, including the
environment.  From such an approach, it is inconceivable that a feminist
would not support breastfeeding.  The converse is not necessarily true: one
may also support breastfeeding without being a feminist.  There are a
multitude of reasons to support breastfeeding and anyone can choose from
among them to suit their own attitudes and needs.

Hoping I haven't offended anyone, or at least that I have offended everyone
equally,
Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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