Women's rights organizations in Ireland are planning protests against a conference for lactation consultants, citing objections to a scheduled presentation by a U.S.-based expert on male lactation.
The Association of Lactation Consultants in Ireland (ALCI) is set to host Jacob Engelsman, who specializes in assisting men with lactation, for its annual conference in Galway on October 9 and 10. Engelsman's planned talk is titled ‘lactation support for gender-diverse families’.
Details of Engelsman's previous talks have raised concerns among activists. He has previously presented on topics including ‘inducing lactation for kinksters’ and has spoken at Frolicon, an adult lifestyle and fetish convention in the United States. His book, 'Lactation For The Rest Of Us: A Guide For Queer And Trans Parents And Helpers,' explores reasons men may wish to lactate, including feeding a baby, curiosity, fun, or sexual gratification.
Jill Nesbitt of Women’s Space Ireland stated that her organization intends to protest, urging the Health Service Executive (HSE), a funder of the ALCI, to prioritize infant protection. "It’s a perversion to suggest that men can put a baby to their nipples or attempt to lactate," Nesbitt said. She further described the notion of men lactating for infants as child abuse, adding that a baby cannot consent to being part of a man's sexual fetish.
Nesbitt criticized the ALCI's statement that it does not necessarily endorse speakers' views as a "cop-out" and questioned the use of government funding for such a presentation.
Catherine Monaghan, an Irish women's rights activist and founding member of Wicklow Women 4 Women, questioned whether the ALCI could provide inclusive lactation support without compromising sex-based boundaries or accepting male lactation as equivalent to the natural female breastfeeding process. "Women are entitled to boundaries, and babies are entitled to have their welfare prioritized," Monaghan stated. She also raised concerns about public funding allocation, suggesting that resources should focus on improving practical breastfeeding support for women in Ireland, where breastfeeding rates are reportedly low compared to other European countries.
The ALCI receives annual grant funding from the HSE and aims to provide support and expertise on breastfeeding. The organization has stated on its website that it is not responsible for the content of presentations and does not necessarily endorse speakers' views.
Both the ALCI and Jacob Engelsman have been contacted for comment.