TAustralia’s leading university has encouraged staff to use “parent-inclusive language”, such as “chestfeeding” instead of “breastfeeding” and “human milk” rather than “mother’s milk”.
Similarly, the terms “mother” and “father” should be replaced with “gestational” and “nongestational” parent, according to the Australian National University’s Gender-Inclusive Handbook.
It cites a 2019 study by researcher Lauren Dinour, who claimed that “heterosexual and woman-focused lactation language … can misgender, isolate, and harm transmasculine parents and non-heteronormative families”.
“It is therefore recommended to use the terms ‘breast/chest feeding’ and ‘human/parent’s milk’, rather than ‘breastfeeding’ and ‘mother’s milk’ to describe lactation,” the handbook states.
“When discussing childbirth, use the terms ‘gestational’ or ‘birthing’ parent rather than ‘mother’, and the terms ‘nongestational’ or ‘nonbirthing’ parent rather than ‘father’.”
The guide says this non-gendered language is “particularly important in clinical or abstract academic discussions of childbirth and parenthood, both to recognise the identities of students in the class, and to model inclusive behaviour for students entering clinical practice”.