The Office’s Rainn Wilson apologises for ‘mean crack’ about ‘chestfeeding’

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Rainn Wilson has apologised for taking a “mean crack” about “chestfeeding” after taking some time to “educate” himself.

The Office actor was criticised for posting a tweet that parroted a common anti-trans refrain.

“TIL [today I learned] you can no longer say ‘nursing or breastfeeding mother’ you have to say chest feeding person,” Rainn Wilson wrote on Wednesday (15 June).

Chest-feeding is a gender-neutral term that some health bodies, including the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine and the NHS, encourage healthcare professionals to use where appropriate, for example when working with trans fathers and non-binary parents.

None of these bodies advocate for the elimination of terms such as breastfeeding or mother, rather, it is about respecting parents who prefer gender-neutral language.

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However, misinformation has been propagated by anti-trans voices and media outlets, including The Times newspaper, which in 2021 wrongly claimed an English NHS trust was telling staff to “replace” the terms breastfeeding and mother. It took the newspaper a year to issue a correction.

After Rainn Wilson was criticised for fuelling such misinformation, the 56-year-old actor returned to Twitter with an apology.

He wrote on Thursday (16 June): “Yesterday I tweeted a mean crack about breastfeeding vs chestfeeding.

“After speaking with some trans friends and educating myself a bit more I want to apologise for the tweet. It was adding to misinformation and meanness. I’m sorry.”

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Yesterday I tweeted a mean crack about breastfeeding vs chestfeeding. After speaking with some Trans friends and educating myself a bit more I want to apologize for the tweet. It was adding to misinformation and meanness. I’m sorry.

— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) June 16, 2022

Many welcomed Rainn Wilson’s apology, noting that he had said sorry without qualifying or making excuses for his actions.

Cis person screws up

Cis person listens to trans people

Cis person consults with other trans people

Cis person apologies without reservation

Dear other cis people; see, it isn't difficult to do https://t.co/aJdvlmZim4

— Jaz (God Arc Arc)「桜花雪ジャズ」