Shannon McGinley, executive director of Cornerstone Action, said a New Hampshire law referring to nursing mothers as “it” undermines women’s identity and called for opposition. The statement was made on X.
“No woman should be reduced to “it,” especially not nursing mothers,” said McGinley. “This law, effective July, is not just anti-women. It’s an erasure of their female identity and existence. Let’s push back against narratives that diminish women’s worth.”
In 2023, New Hampshire enacted House Bill 358, which mandates employers to provide nursing employees with a 30-minute unpaid break every three hours and a private space, not a bathroom, for milk expression. According to LegiScan, the bill faced criticism for using the pronoun “it” to refer to nursing employees, which many perceived as dehumanizing. This controversy has sparked debate over crafting inclusive yet respectful language in labor laws, highlighting tensions between clarity and inclusivity in legislative drafting.
A study published in MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing indicates that U.S. workplace breastfeeding policies vary in their language. Traditional documents refer to “mothers” and “breastfeeding,” while more inclusive policies use terms like “lactating employees” or “chestfeeding individuals.” These shifts aim to support all gender identities in the workplace and align with federal efforts to foster inclusive environments.
Across the United States, states have adopted differing stances on gender-neutral language in labor policies. Axios reports that Arkansas has banned such terms in official documents, whereas Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries actively promotes workplace policies inclusive of all gender identities. These divergent approaches reflect broader ideological divides over language use and inclusivity in lawmaking.
McGinley is also the Executive Director of Cornerstone Policy Research, where she oversees strategy, operations, and legislative advocacy. According to Cornerstone’s official site, she leads efforts to promote policies aligned with conservative Christian values, including pro-life legislation and parental rights. She plays a central role in mobilizing grassroots support and shaping family policy in New Hampshire.
Cornerstone Action was founded in 2005 as the advocacy arm of Cornerstone Policy Research. It works to promote conservative family values within New Hampshire’s political sphere. As described on its official website, the organization focuses on issues such as religious liberty, pro-life advocacy, and traditional marriage through legislative engagement and voter mobilization. Cornerstone aims to influence state policy according to faith-based principles.
