Is breastfeeding fair? Tensions in feminist perspectives on breastfeeding and the family.
Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged to have health benefits for mothers and infants. Because it is sex-specific, it challenges the feminist principle of gender-neutral childbearing. Various feminist theories addressing breastfeeding from the perspective of gender ideology, cultural feminism, and history are reviewed and contrasted. Employment and race disparities are addressed within feminist contexts. Feminist health activism is suggested as a unifying perspective.
McCarter-Spaulding
Deborah
D
Department of Nursing, St. Anselm College, Manchester, NH 03109, USA. dmccarter@anselm.edu
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D004651:Employment; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D006801:Humans; D012923:Social Class