A Facebook post from a woman — or someone — claiming to be a “feminist” named Hailey Martin is making the viral rounds of the internet again this week , setting off outrage with its supposed argument that feminist moms should refuse to breastfeed their male babies because “we need to empower more females in this world,” and breastfeeding girls but not boys will give the female babies a head start in life.
The original post has long since been removed, but is alleged to have first appeared on a Facebook page simply called Breastfeeding , a page which actually does exist.
The post by “Hailey Martin” says that because baby boys “are already physically stronger than baby girls” refusing breast milk to boys is the proper feminist thing to do, to help bring about equality of the sexes.
“I have feminist views and I am not ashamed to admit that,” wrote Martin.
“No boy baby will ever be fed from my breasts if I am unfortunate enough to have a son.”
The poster goes on to say she plans to circumcise any male baby she might have “to take away sexual pleasure from him when he grows up,” a bizarre belief indeed.
For the record, according to the International Society for Sexual Medicine , “The highest-quality studies suggest that medical male circumcision has no adverse effect on sexual function, sensitivity, sexual sensation, or satisfaction.”
Here is the original, now-defunct post, which may have appeared as long ago as 2012, but which is back causing online outrage again this week.
“This has got to be the most despicable Facebook status update about mothering ever written,” wrote one blogger on the If Only You News site. “I’m not sure if this woman is trying (and failing, because this is not feminism!) to be a radical feminist or what, but she’s giving all women a bad name with this inane drivel.”
Earlier, the blog RetroHelix also reacted with revulsion, saying that the post does not represent feminists or feminism.
“I shouldn’t be thinking like this, but I kind of wish she never procreates. If she ends up pregnant with boys, they’re gonna have a horrible childhood. She talks about her future (possible) sons like they’re the enemy, it’s her own blood! It looks like she confused what feminism is really about; equality of the sexes.”
The latest round of online anger at the allegedly feminist Facebook post appears to have originated with a blog called 9Gag , which labeled the post the “most inhuman statement in the history of mankind,” and declared, “radical feminism is the worst ideology.”
But while the original author of the self-described feminist Facebook post has never come forward, one “mommy blogger” at the blog Mommyish identified the post for what it may well actually be — an example of “trolling,” the practice of making outrageous or offensive statements online for the sole purpose of provoking outrage.
“Good ‘ol Hailey may be a good ‘ol basement dwellin’ Cheetos eatin’ gamer-fuel swiggin’ troll of the troll variety,” wrote Mommyish of the alleged feminist breastfeeding post. “Because we find it pretty difficult to believe this shiz is real.”
[Image: Sokolova Maryna / Shutterstock ]