Dr. Shela Herani, a nursing professor and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, is promoting the chemical induction of mammary secretions in transgender individuals. She refers to this initiative as "Breaking Barriers: Supporting LGBTQ+ Breastfeeding Journey".

In a video posted on her X and YouTube pages, Dr. Herani challenges what she describes as a "common misconception that only cisgender women can breastfeed." She argues that LGBTQ+ parents face discrimination and bias from healthcare providers, lactation consultants, and breastfeeding educators. According to her, with proper support, transgender individuals can breastfeed or chestfeed their babies.

Inclusivity Matters!!
Breaking Barriers: Supporting LGBTQ+ Breastfeeding Journey 🤱🏻🏳️‍🌈

Link: https://t.co/pEP0biAhN8#LGBTQ #chestfeeding #breastfeeding #lactation #support #parents #inclusive #ibclc #neonates #infants

— Dr Shela Hirani, PhD, MScN, RN, IBCLC (she/her) (@ShelaHirani) April 26, 2024

Research into the resources linked in Dr. Herani’s video reveals that this concept has been endorsed by organizations like La Leche League since at least 2014. La Leche League, once a strong advocate for traditional breastfeeding, now promotes the idea that "trans men, trans women, and non-binary individuals may choose to breastfeed or chestfeed their babies." They even use the term chestfeeding to be inclusive. The organization acknowledges that some trans individuals may experience gender dysphoria when breastfeeding, while others might choose to pump and bottle-feed their milk.

One protocol mentioned for inducing lactation in transgender individuals involves spironolactone, a drug produced by Pfizer. Pfizer has been explicit about the potential dangers of long-term exposure to spironolactone in infants.

Despite attempts to reach Dr. Herani for comment on the safety of using spironolactone for lactation induction, she has not responded. This lack of response is not surprising, given the potential risks involved. Long-term exposure to spironolactone could be hazardous to infants, raising serious ethical questions about prioritizing adult desires over child safety.

Using drugs like spironolactone to induce lactation in transgender individuals seems to put the ego and emotional needs of adults above the health and welfare of children.