The University of Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust (USHT) has claimed that milk produced by “transgender women” (biological males who identify as women) is as healthy for babies as milk produced by biological women, according to a report from The Telegraph. This assertion has been made while acknowledging the administration of hormone-altering drugs such as Domperidone to induce lactation, or “chestfeeding”, in these “transgender women”.
The NHS trust’s statement is grounded in a single study from 2022 that claims that milk testosterone concentrations were less than one percent and that no observable side effects were witnessed in babies who ingested the milk.
Despite supporting the safety of drug-induced lactation, the trust encouraged parents taking any medication to seek advice on the possible transfer of the medication to the baby through breastfeeding and any potential health implications. However, the advice contradicts the statement of Domperidone’s manufacturer, which cautions against its usage due to potential risks to babies’ hearts.
The trust’s advice has drawn significant criticism, with the group Sex Matters expressing concern over prioritizing ‘trans identities over what is best for mothers and babies’. Policy Exchange think tank accused the NHS trust of being ‘unbalanced and naive’ in its assertions about male-produced milk.
Apparently, it is extremely important to affirm breastfeeding in trans-identifying individuals. The purpose of breastfeeding is to provide nutrition and immunity benefits to the infant, and not to alleviate feelings of gender dysphoria or any other feelings whatsoever in adults. Nursing is about feeding the baby, not about affirming someone’s subjective perception of themselves.