Breastfeeding conference forced to move online after threats over 'men chest-feeding' advocate
The Association of Lactation Consultants in Ireland event is now online only due to 'direct personal safety concerns'. In one of his books, Jacob Engelsman says men may wish to produce milk 'to feed and bond with their baby and to a lesser extent, for curiosity, fun or sexual gratification.' Stock picture
A breastfeeding advisory group has been forced to move its annual conference online after threats were issued over plans for it be addressed by a male speaker on gender-diverse families.
The Association of Lactation Consultants in Ireland represents healthcare workers who support women breastfeeding.
Its annual conference was scheduled for Galway next month. One of the speakers was to be Jacob Engelsman, an international board certified lactation consultant from America.
He is no longer speaking at the event, but had been due to give two talks on advice for healthcare workers supporting gender-diverse families in breastfeeding.
The controversy centred on allegations that his talks would cover advice for men who wish to breastfeed themselves. Some objectors called for more focus on women instead but many comments were personal in nature.
The ALCI told members on Tuesday the switch to a virtual event is “due to health & safety concerns and direct personal safety concerns for our delegates, speakers, members, venue staff and Council”.
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The email said: “We would like to be clear that the reasoning behind this has been taken completely out of context and is not as has been alleged.
“This misrepresentation is deeply upsetting to ALCI Council and to our speakers, where education on supporting lactating families has always been at the forefront of what we do.”
The council told the : “This was not about encouraging or endorsing male lactation in any way whatsoever.”
It acknowledged members felt it was slow in responding to the avalanche of claims.
“We have done that on legal advice and PR advice, and also that has come about because we are all volunteers on this council. No decision is made until all nine of us are in on it,” it said.
The council is now seeking legal advice. The hotel confirmed it is no longer hosting the event.
Much of the controversy centred on Mr Engelsman’s book: .
Extracts available through Google Books show he refers to parents and chest-feeding rather than mothers and breast-feeding.
He says straight men have asked him about male lactation.
He says straight or cis men wish to produce milk “for the same reasons as anyone else. Which is to say usually to feed and bond with their baby and to a lesser extent, for curiosity, fun or sexual gratification".
He says in his personal experience “none have ever produced milk”.
It is understood he was to be paid around €375 at a rate of €2.50 per minute, as were other speakers. The event is funded through ticket-sales.
The HSE has said it provides €9,000 in annual funding to ALCI. This is used for training at separate events.
- Niamh Griffin, Health Correspondent
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