Breastfeeding counsellors exit amid row over use of ‘mother’

Use of the word is “intimidation and bullying” (!!)

Five volunteer counsellors at Australia’s largest breastfeeding support group have left their roles after colleagues complained about social media posts that allegedly included “near obsessive use of the word mother”.

Seven long-term volunteers were investigated by the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) after allegedly repeatedly commenting on social media posts using terms such as “mother” or “breastfeeding” even if the original poster had used “parent” or other gender-neutral language.

Five of the women left the organisation between November and February after the months-long complaints process. Two of them were removed from their roles by the association.

The association said the complaints were made by other counsellors who considered the comments on social media posts by the organisation and other counsellors as “intimidation and bullying”.

According to documents seen by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, the complainants said they were caused harm and believed “the near obsessive use of the word mother suggests that others are not welcome in the ABA”.

The investigations prompted 37 association members, including two former board members, to write to the association’s board stating the complaints were “frivolous and unjustified”. The members called for an external investigation and an apology to those being investigated.

“This treatment of the seven volunteers falls below the reasonable standard of care that any workplace should provide,” the letter said.

“The accusation is that the use of the word ‘mother’ represented a subtle ‘correction’ when others used the word ‘parent’. Those using the word ‘parent’ interpreted this as an ‘attack’ on their use of the word ‘parent’.”

The association has been considering the continued relevance of traditional “mother-to-mother” communications this year as it develops its new language policy.

A source with knowledge of the draft policy said it retains more sexed language about mothers and breastfeeding than has been kept by other large, international breastfeeding support groups.

Words such as “mother” and “breast milk” are expected to be retained, but some desexed language, such as chestfeeding, will also be adopted to ensure parents who do not wish to identify as mothers are safely welcomed and included.

Of the seven counsellors investigated, two had complaints upheld and were involuntarily removed from their volunteer duties, one was put on probation but has since been allowed back, one left of her own volition, and the last was removed for inactivity this year.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/breastfeeding-counsellors-exit-amid-row-over-use-of-mother-20220507-p5ajf5.html

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