The Breastfeeding and Feminism Symposium is designed to bring together scholars, advocates, practitioners and policymakers interested in

• Breastfeeding
• Women’s rights at home and at work
• Reproductive health and rights
• Family planning and child health 

We will explore these issues to determine potential synergy and enhance coalitions and identify collaborative actions around breastfeeding and women’s rights.  

Although arguments about motherhood, work, and gender differences have been central to feminist thought, feminist theory has historically had little to say about breastfeeding. Throughout the 1970´s and 1980´s contemporary feminist theory was concerned with providing the theoretical and legal foundation to enable women to achieve social, economic, and political equality. Strategies generally thought essential to that end included increasing women´s employment and decreasing their involvement with the mothering role. As a result, while feminist policy initiatives did address pregnancy and childbirth breastfeeding, particularly past women´s return to work, was not seen as an issue.

During this same time period, however, the United States witnessed a dramatic resurgence in the proportion of new mothers breastfeeding. As such, although we have witnessed a dramatic change in US policy and health care practice related to breastfeeding since the 1980´s, these changes have occurred independent of feminist theory or voice. We hope to develop that voice.

To view information about past symposia, click on the year below:

The 2009 symposium attracted over 120 people from across the United States as well as from four different countries! Dr. Smith was asked to speak about Breastfeeding in the United States to a local television station, WFMY 2. Please visit the following link to go to WFMY 2 to view Dr. Smith's commentary.

We also have a few pictures from this year's symposium (click one a picture below to enlarge):