NSW Premier Chris Minns has reversed gender-neutral language changes made to NSW parliament’s employee breastfeeding policy, after Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said the government was “robbing females” of something unique to them.
During the week, Sloane posted a video to social media criticising the updated policy that replaced references to “women” and “mothers” with gender-neutral terms like “parent”, “carer” and “lactating parent”.
The policy is designed to outline the support available to breastfeeding employees in NSW parliament, including the workplace facilities and lactation breaks available.
The gender-neutral language was intended to be inclusive of anyone who may breastfeed, including trans and non-binary people.
“So I’m going to say something that should not be controversial, but apparently it is – only women breastfeed babies,” Sloane said in her video.
“Well apparently not, according to NSW parliament, who released an updated list of policies … and they said for the breastfeeding policy, this has been updated with gender neutral language.
“Gender neutral language for a breastfeeding policy, this just blows my mind.”
Premier Chris Minns announced it would be reversed after being asked a question by Shadow Minister for Finance Monica Tudehope, who was holding her baby in parliament, if he supported the change.
“The truth of the matter is the terminology used in it is strange,” Minns said in parliament. “And I don’t think that we need to be in a situation where these documents should have anything other than mother and breastfeeding.”
“That’s what the public expects and that’s what I expect and our state government guidelines of a similar nature will from now on reflect that terminology.”
In her video, Sloane argued that she supported flexible work policies but the gender-neutral changes were dismissive of women’s experiences with breastfeeding.
“I want a workplace where the blokes can feel free to look after their babies. I want them to be able to share the care,” she said.
“And the blokes can do that too – but the thing they can’t do is breastfeed. So why are we messing around with language? Why are we trying to rob females from something that is really special and unique for us?
“When government gets the language wrong, when they try to neutralise everything, I think they do everyone a disservice, and quite frankly, they make themselves a joke. This is why we all wonder whether the world is going completely nuts.”