Center for Women´s Health and Wellness
2006 Feminism and Breastfeeding Symposium
Friday March 24, 8:30 – 5:30 y March 24
8:30 – 5:30
Alumni House
UNCG Campus
This 2nd annual symposium is co-sponsored by the Center for Women´s Health and Wellness and the Women´s and Gender Studies Program.
This symposium is designed to bring together feminist scholars, lactation activists and policy makers, lactation consultants, mothers, and others interested in developing and being part of an exciting conversation on breastfeeding as a feminist issue. 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.
The 2005 conference attracted over 50 people. Speaker included Bernice Hausman, Paige Hall Smith, Amy Spangler, Mary Rose Tully, Ginger Sall, and Cheryl Lovelady. http://www.uncg.edu/wms/projects/Breastfeeding%20Symposium/BreastfeedingMain1.htm
The 2006 is expected to be even larger. Keynote speakers include Jacqueline H. Wolf, author of "Don´t kill your baby: Public health and the decline of breastfeeding in the US", and Chris Milford, active in the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and collaborator with the International Labor Organization in developing the ILO´s lactation policies. Stay tuned for more information! Or contact Paige Smith at phsmith@Uncg.edu, or 336.334.3735 or contact Carole Lindsey-Potter, WGS, at cllindse@uncg.edu, or 336.334.4735.