La Leche League Founder Resigns Over New “Woke Agenda”
Marian Tompson, the 94-year-old founder of La Leche League – the world's largest breastfeeding support charity – resigned from the organization November 6th 2024 because of the organization’s woke agenda to include biological men in breastfeeding, or “chestfeeding” as many “woke” organizations are now calling it. La Leche League went from being a organization that supports women and mothers to using language that is not only insulting but degrading toward women.
La Leche League was formed in Chicago in 1956 by seven women who wanted to give breastfeeding help and support to others. Marian Tompson and Mary White were nursing their children at a picnic and found that many people came up to them to express interest or tell them how they had wanted to breastfeed but failed.
At the time in the United States, many traditional breastfeeding practices were no longer the norm. Nursing your baby was not encouraged by the medical establishment, and not practiced widely enough for there to be practical support available. Seeing this gap in information and support, Marian and Mary enlisted the help of five of their friends and acquaintances and the seven began to hold meetings. Thus, La Leche League (LLL) was born!
More about Marian from her Wiki Page
Marian Leonard Tompson is one of the seven founders of La Leche League International. She was President of La Leche League for 24 years, from 1956 to 1980, and a member of the Founders Advisory Council. Wife of the late Clement Tompson, she is the mother of seven children, a grandmother and great-grandmother. An early advocate of homebirth, four of her children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born at home.
She had resigned from the organization after the LLL’s board insistence on including men. Marian states that LLL “has become a travesty of my original intent” which was to support biological women who want to give their babies the best start in life my breastfeeding them.
She continues to say, “This shift from following the norms of Nature, which is the core of mothering through breastfeeding, to indulging fantasies of adults, is destroying our organization.”
“Despite my efforts these past two years as a board member, it has become clear that there is nothing I can do to change this trajectory by staying involved.”
Read her full resignation letter below
This news makes me so sad. LLL has always been a huge part of the breastfeeding movement - dang! they started the movement! I cannot imagine how heartbreaking this must be for Marian. After creating this organization and dedicating her life to it she is now watching it turn into something it was never meant to become. Like so many other women’s spaces, it is becoming infiltrated by men and the “woke agenda”.
I was once excited to become at LLL Leader in my community. Since my pregnancy, I had been counting down the days until my daughter’s first birthday so I would meet the requirements to become a LLL Leader to volunteer to provide breastfeeding peer support in my community. I also love the book the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, even though they changed the title in the recent edition to cut out the word “womanly”. I will continue to recommend the 8th edition which doesn’t contain gender neutral language and recognized that WOMEN breastfeed, not men.
So much of the work LLL has done has been so beneficial to women and the breastfeeding movement. It is so sad to see this once wonderful organization spreading false information and disrespecting women by using words like “chestfeeding” and allowing men to join our spaces.
I will no longer associate with this organization and I will not represent LLL in my community. Many women I know have already boycotted LLL long ago because of their harmful and disrespectful language and actions toward women. I am joining them in the fight to protect womanhood and motherhood.
How can we help restore Le Leche League to what it once was?
Consider writing a letter or email to the organization to show your support for the founders and keeping LLL a woman-centered organization.
Share this post on social media or write your own post stating your support for Marian and the original mission of LLL.
Boycott LLL until they stop including men in women spaces and using harmful langue
I stand with Marian. I stand with WOMEN. I pray for this world.