Discussions on medical terms used in United States surfaced this week. After the presentation of new projects by the president Joe Biden aimed at the transition of children’s gender and the rights LGBTcritics weigh in on terms proposed by the country’s Breastfeeding Association last year.
One of the suggestions to doctors and nurses is to use the term “paternal milk” or “human milk” instead of “breast milk”. It is also suggested to change from “breastfeeding mother” to “lactating person”.
There is still, in English terms, the proposal to exchange “breastfeeding” (breastfeeding) by “chestfeeding” (there is no exact translation in Portuguese). breast refers to breasts and chest chest, which would be more neutral, according to the institution.
Another guideline is the use of the term “gestational father” when a trans man (who was born a woman and identifies as a man) becomes pregnant.
The association describes in the document that it intends to reach the transgender and non-binary population, who do not identify with the sex at birth or have a specific view of their own body.
“We recognize that not all people who give birth and lactate identify as female and that some individuals do not identify as female or male,” the organization said. The list of new terms was delivered to hospitals for guidance of health professionals.
Journalist and biologist Colin Wright said on Twitter that he opposes these suggestions. “While this policy is portrayed as creating a friendly and ‘inclusive’ hospital atmosphere, I think most people would prefer nurses to focus on more important things like medications and proper dosages rather than dedicating mental space to memorization of lists of a futile ‘inclusive’ terminology”, he pointed out.
