I personally say more power to anyone who can deal with taking the crap people say at them for there decisions. I personally breast fed my son for the first six months I couldn't stand it but I dealt with it to give him better health and nutrition. Granted most people just thought of me as a cross dresser or butch lesbian at the time in my life because I wasn't out at that point. I don't see anything wrong with people living their life how they want to as long as they aren't going off on killing sprees and burning down rainforest's or eating peoples faces, why should we care this much about someone else's lifestyle choices? So someone wants to join a female only group and breastfeed THEIR child let them don't let society tell you its wrong because honestly thats being just as bad for our image seeing how we talk about other trans folk.   

 Trying to become the leader of a breast-feeding group as a FtM individual... is a little silly. Belonging to the group is already an infringement on social standards, so asking for a position of power within that group would be pushing boundaries a little too far for the present moment in time.

Trans people aren't very well-understood by cis people, a lot of the time, so this desire for a man to lead a breastfeeding group would be a very strange thing for most. He would end up doing one of two things, mostly, and that would be either reinforcing a belief that trans people are merely confused, or some other thing, or secondly, that trans people like to sensationalize, and try to be like both sexes at once.

  I'm not sure that a man could ever be accepted and supported as a breastfeeding group leader. For that to happen, he would either have to admit he wasn't truly a man, or the world would have to abandon their binary-ism in favour of understanding.

As I said, even being a member of the group infringes on people's understanding...

As for breastfeeding itself, though, then all the power to ya. It provides an advantage over not-breastfeeding, so there's an actual reason to do so.

I just don't get why any guy would want to be part of a breastfeeding group, but whatever. I don't have an opinion; people can do what they want, and I'm sure he has his reasons... but I feel like such an oddity because of things like this. I just want to be viewed as 100 percent male and not rock the boat for any "non conforming gender" mess. I guess that is also why - although I advocate equality and support LGBT - that I don't really associate myself WITH BEING LGBT. (If that makes any sense)...

And I'm not meaning any offense to non-conforming genders, I'm just saying for me personally ... it isn't me. Which is why I'm ALSO FINE with whatever anyone feels that they are, because there's a biological reason to every identification and because of this, people will be who they are, and should feel safe to do so.

Hey, wait a second...
If a guy who has experience and valuable knowledge about breastfeeding can't be a leader of a breastfeeding group, can people of any gender who have never actually breastfed have an objective opinion on who can or can not be part of a breastfeeding group? To me, that seems more backwards.

If he has the knowledge and experience who are we to say if its okay or not. I bet they have to agree to let him be a leader in the group and if the women have no problem with it why should any one else. The people I know aren't going to be like OMG there was a trans guy breast feeding you trans people are confused. They are more likely to be like hey thats different so did you hear about the new Dr. Horrible movie coming out. Almost all the stuff against this I have read is stating the trans community but shouldn't one think about who they are and how they want to do things before caring how it will effect those they don't know because honesty no one has the right to tell anyone whats okay or not okay to do in you life. 

I think he can do what he wants and if the group lets him lead, then so be it.  It's his life and not mine.  I really don't care if some people may think that all trans-men are like that or that we're wishy-washy; I'd put a lot of the blame on them for not doing their research and believing everything that media tells them.

I personally would not do this, but I also would not ever bear children because I couldn't go through with it; it just isn't for me.  I would never breastfeed, but this is primarily because I dislike my breasts...and because I just think it's something rather silly [and all I really see breasts as are feeding instruments so not seeing them as that isn't an issue].

Quote from: Berserk on August 27, 2012, 03:36:54 PM
Live your own life and stop worrying about what other transguys are doing. Every person has the right to do with their body as they wish. People need to stop whining about how "wah wah, so and so is making a bad name for transguys." Stop trying to turn everyone into a cookie cutter just because you think society won't take you seriously. You want to be taken seriously, then present yourself as yourself and stop moaning about what other people are doing. We went through the same thing when Thomas Beatie decided to give birth to his own child (and again and again) with everyone crying that he was "making a bad name for transguys." This shaming of transguys who don't fit the cookie cutter mould is what needs to stop.

Funny how its the guy who has the stones to be himself and stand up for himself despite so much public and personal backlash against him is the one getting pulled through the wringer here, instead of the  society that creates a situation where guys like him are told to sit quietly and play their "proper role" or become the subject of a scandal.

And this.  I second this so much.

Quote from: Traivs on August 28, 2012, 11:32:07 AM
did you hear about the new Dr. Horrible movie coming out.

There's a sequel? WHERE?!

It's not something I'd do, but if he has the necessary skills/experience and the rest of the group are cool with it, I don't see why it should be a problem.

What does make me uncomfortable is the idea that men shouldn't do something because it's "a women's thing".  All men, not just transmen, come up against this at some point in their lives and what it really stems from is the idea that masculinity is better than femininity, so men mustn't put their masculinity in question by doing something feminine.  That idea is toxic.

Quote from: Edge on August 28, 2012, 12:30:06 PM
There's a sequel? WHERE?!

there filming it right now

Just thought I'd add that cis males and MtFs - for the most part - have the ability to produce breast milk as well, pretty much everyone with nipples can breast feed.

Just

I always think it's a bit dodgy when people get into 'Just this far but no farther,' territory.  What this group essentially seems to be saying is, 'Well, for God's sake, we let him be a member, what more does he want?'.  If they've acknowledged that he should be allowed membership, then he should have the same rights as any other member, including the right to apply to become a leader.  It just seems to smack too much of other LGBT equality roadblocks, e.g. 'Well, we're letting people dress and present as the gender they feel they are, and now they want to use the correct *bathroom*?  My Lord.' And even, 'What?  We're letting gay people have Civil Partnerships, and now they want to get married in a *Church*?  The uppity so-and-sos.  Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile.'. Equality should be complete, or it means nothing.

Quote from: Clive on August 30, 2012, 04:36:01 AM
I always think it's a bit dodgy when people get into 'Just this far but no farther,' territory.  What this group essentially seems to be saying is, 'Well, for God's sake, we let him be a member, what more does he want?'.  If they've acknowledged that he should be allowed membership, then he should have the same rights as any other member, including the right to apply to become a leader.  It just seems to smack too much of other LGBT equality roadblocks, e.g. 'Well, we're letting people dress and present as the gender they feel they are, and now they want to use the correct *bathroom*?  My Lord.' And even, 'What?  We're letting gay people have Civil Partnerships, and now they want to get married in a *Church*?  The uppity so-and-sos.  Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile.'. Equality should be complete, or it means nothing.

This isn't about half rights or anything like that. This is a WOMEN'S only group! And they were decent enough to let him in. If  this was a bio male, I'm sure we wouldn't even be having this discussion. This is a group for WOMEN to be comfortable. It isn't about FTM rights or anything like that. Women shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable just so this one FTM can break new ground.

I'm ALL about equal rights. But this is just completely different. It's not like this is a group for everyone. It's a BREAST FEEDING group.

Quote from: Stewie on August 30, 2012, 11:24:55 AM
This isn't about half rights or anything like that. This is a WOMEN'S only group! And they were decent enough to let him in. If  this was a bio male, I'm sure we wouldn't even be having this discussion. This is a group for WOMEN to be comfortable. It isn't about FTM rights or anything like that. Women shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable just so this one FTM can break new ground.

I'm ALL about equal rights. But this is just completely different. It's not like this is a group for everyone. It's a BREAST FEEDING group.

What if ciswomen felt uncomfortable with an MTF mother leading the group?

Plus, the notion that women-only spaces are safe places, where people can be equal and safe and so on and so forth is a bit of a stretch. There is a lot of woman-woman competition and women within the group could be excluded on a number of factors (say, perhaps, lesbian mothers).