Suzanne Crouch blasts Indiana Department of Health for using trans-inclusive language

EVANSVILLE — Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch released a statement Thursday afternoon condemning a since-deleted tweet from the Indiana Department of Health that used inclusive language for transgender people.

The tweet advertised the upcoming 2023 Breastfeeding Conference set for Aug. 1 in Noblesville. In it, the IDOH invited people to hear speakers and take the information back to support "chest/breastfeeding" families.

A screenshot of the tweet was provided to the Courier & Press by Crouch's media contact for her governor campaign. Crouch is currently seeking the Republican nomination for Indiana governor in 2024.

“We don’t advance the cause of women’s rights or improve their level of healthcare by diluting our unique place in society," Crouch, an Evansville native, said in the statement. "As a woman and a mom, I find the Indiana Department of Health’s use of the term ‘chestfeeding’ insensitive and demeaning.”

The Courier & Press sent a follow-up question asking if Crouch's statement meant she didn't believe transgender people have a place at the IDOH conference.

Through her spokesperson, Crouch did not answer the question and instead responded, "the term chestfeeding is demeaning to women and not real."

Crouch's representative also sent a screenshot of the Indiana Nourish site, which is where event registration is done. It said "chest/breastfeeding," as well.

The term chestfeeding is no longer on the website and the tweet has been deleted.

The Courier & Press reached out to the Indiana Department of Health to ask why the word was removed and did not receive a response as of Thursday afternoon.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidance for using chestfeed when referring to transgender and non-binary individuals who may give birth and "breastfeed or feed at the chest." It is written as a part of the CDC's guidance on health equity.

"Some families may have other preferred terminology for how they feed their babies, such as nursing, chestfeeding, or bodyfeeding," the CDC website states.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Suzanne Crouch blasts health department for using trans-inclusive term