Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

What breastfeeding and sex have in common

Amy Tuteur, MD
Physician
September 13, 2012
Share
Tweet
Share

Breastfeeding and sex share something in common and it isn’t just breasts. It’s the apparently irresistible urge of some people to force their personal beliefs on other people.

The stated desire of lactivists, like those promoting the Latch On NYC breastfeeding program, to “protect” breastfeeding bears an uncomfortable resemblance to the stated desire of religious fundamentalists to “protect” virginity from the “dangers” of premarital sex, or to “protect” marriage from the unspecified “dangers” posed by gay people who deeply believe in the institution of marriage and wish to participate in it.

All three efforts share many things in common:

1. All three, breastfeeding, virginity or marriage, are in not in need of protecting by anyone.

2. All three are the business of the participants and no one else.

3. “Protecting” in this context is merely a cover for the real issue, which is forcing the personal beliefs of one group on another group who believes differently.

4. All three grossly overstate the purported benefits of protection or fabricate new “benefits” from whole cloth.

5. All three grossly overstate the purported risks of not “protecting” these practices or fabricate new “risks” from whole cloth.

6. All involve efforts to “educate” anyone who disagrees.

7. All involve shaming anyone who disagrees, often under the guise of “educating” them.

8. The people doing the “protecting” consider themselves morally superior to anyone who disagrees.

9. All three utterly ignore the opinion of those whom they are supposedly protecting. It is curious fact that efforts to “protect” breastfeeding ignore the views of those who bottle feed; efforts to “protect” virginity ignore the views of those who engage in premarital sex, and efforts to “protect” marriage ignore the views of gay people.

10. Those who wish to do the protecting face absolutely no danger from the very people from whom they are protecting themselves. Lactivists face no danger from mothers who bottlefeed; people who believe that sex should be reserved for marriage face no danger from those who engage in premarital sex; and religious fundamentalists face no threat from married gay people to their own ability to get married, stay married or enjoy marriage.

ADVERTISEMENT

The bottom line is that all three efforts, to “protect” breastfeeding, to “protect” virginity and to “protect” marriage, aren’t really about protection at all. They are nothing more than the efforts of one group to force its views on those who disagree. Oh, and there’s one more thing they share in common:

All three should be resisted by anyone who values personal freedom and the right to decide for yourself how to live your own life.

Amy Tuteur is an obstetrician-gynecologist who blogs at The Skeptical OB.

Prev

Practices are getting larger to provide micropractice service

September 13, 2012 Kevin 4
…
Next

I cheated on my hospital with locums, and I'll do it again

September 14, 2012 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: OB/GYN

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Practices are getting larger to provide micropractice service
Next Post >
I cheated on my hospital with locums, and I'll do it again

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Amy Tuteur, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    I am so glad that you have chosen me to be your guide

    Amy Tuteur, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    It’s time for a VBAC court

    Amy Tuteur, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    What is defensive medicine in obstetrics?

    Amy Tuteur, MD

More in Physician

  • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • Why judgment is hurting doctors—and how mindfulness can heal

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Why evidence-based management may be an effective strategy for stronger health care leadership and equity

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • The gift we keep giving: How medicine demands everything—even our holidays

    Tomi Mitchell, MD
  • From burnout to balance: a neurosurgeon’s bold career redesign

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Why working in Hawai’i health care isn’t all paradise

    Clayton Foster, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean

      Cheryl Spang | Finance
    • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why testosterone matters more than you think in women’s health

      Andrea Caamano, MD | Conditions
    • A mind to guide the machine: Why physicians must help shape artificial intelligence in medicine

      Shanice Spence-Miller, MD | Tech
    • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 7 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean

      Cheryl Spang | Finance
    • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why testosterone matters more than you think in women’s health

      Andrea Caamano, MD | Conditions
    • A mind to guide the machine: Why physicians must help shape artificial intelligence in medicine

      Shanice Spence-Miller, MD | Tech
    • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

What breastfeeding and sex have in common
7 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...