This picture of 25-year-old Karlesha Thurman breast feeding her baby at graduation has gone viral and is sparking controversy across America! For the moms out there, how do you feel about this? I think the mom did what many moms would do, her baby got fussy and she breastfed her.
What does it matter if she also happened to be at her college graduation and took a picture? She posted it on a FB page promoting breastfeeding and did not ask for it to go viral!
Well, the picture is causing a strong controversy amongst people who have strong opinions on breastfeeding. Some people applaud her, while others are outraged.
Karlesha Thurman, who graduated with her accounting degree from California State University, Long Beach posted the photo of her breastfeeding her 3-month-old daughter, Aaliyah, on Facebook page, “Black Women Do Breastfeed” to show support for a woman who wrote about getting dirty looks for breastfeeding in public.
Little did she know that she would soon be the center of the subject, with people from both ends having a say on how they felt about her photo. Some went as far as to call Thurman “weird” for breastfeeding her child at her college graduation. Thurman, however, couldn’t disagree more. She says to Today that she doesn’t really care.
“I was proud of the fact that not only did I graduate but that I got to share the moment with the one person who is the most important to me and that is my daughter,”
“I did it to show it’s natural, it’s normal, there’s nothing wrong with it,”
I didn’t even know there was a big controversy about breastfeeding in public until all of this happened.”
Black Women Do Breastfeed reposted Thurman’s photo to show their full support and encouragement, with the caption:
“Congratulations, mama!!!! Giving her daughter more gifts than one! Isn’t this beautiful?! #normalizebreastfeeding,”
Many other women soon took to the page posting their words of support and addressing the backlash Thurman received for her picture. Thurman also had thanks for them
"Thank you, I found out I was pregnant my last year of college, had my daughter one week into my last semester, she was my motivation to keep going, so me receiving my BA was OUR moment, so glad I captured the moment and so glad you shared it with the world so thank you again"
#normalizebreastfeeding
Can you maybe make a post just letting people know that people are taking credit for the photo as if it is theirs and to spread the word....My facebook is Karlesha Danae....My twitter is @Kay_Danae and my IG is Karlesha_Danae
I think she's one brave lady. Where do you stand on breastfeeding in public, I totally support it. Could she have covered up, yes, but did Rihanna cover up? No. So why should she?
In fact, breastfeeding is a more natural use of the breasts than sexual titilation of audiences.
Myne are you seriously using the Rihanna analogy? Even Rihanna has received a lot of backlash for her recent over the top nudity from people over there in the US. I remember Wendy Williams being vehemently against it, among others. People have complained about Riri's nudity and you can see that in her recent public appearances she's making conscious efforts to cover up. (How long that would last is another question entirely).
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I've heard the arguments for and against public breastfeeding and what I've noticed is that most mothers are in support of it and see nothing wrong with it at all. They all say it's NATURAL. So on this matter I refuse to have an opinion for now. I do not mind public breastfeeding, in fact I agree that it is natural but please cover it up. If that was my younger sister I would have given her a knock on the head for doing that.
LOL on your younger sister analogy. Truth is, the young mum did not know her picture would be shared widely online, but Rihanna knew! And what if she did not plan to breastfeed and so came with no blankie?
ReplyDeleteMy point is that the breast of a mother is first and foremost food for the baby, and when we see it naked, we should see it as that, and not as a sexual object. So while Rihanna deserves all her haterz, this woman does not, at all!
Very well said, Myne
DeleteI dont see why people have opinions about when and how people feed their kids. I am a mother and would nurse my daughter wherever I am - if that makes you uncomfortable feel free to look elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteOk oh.
ReplyDeleteShey na bcos her boobs dey like mount Everest @ age 25.
Lemmie see her snap pishure @ her PhD grad ceremony viz-a-viz Olympus Has Fallen.
We dey wait...
on a serious note, tho I am not married and dont have a child yet, I seriously think that breastfeeding, just like love-making, ought to be private - intimately shared with the people concerned.
DeleteIts just like saying that since a couple is married and God ordained sex, then every lovey dovey couple should get some in the open air.
I would love if she went to one corner of the hall or store and breastfed her baby. It would still be public, but she can get a lone time with her baby and coo into her ears +eye contact ... and not flashing her teeth to the camera, posting photos on Instagram!
Now that- is MHO.
...by now u know what side of the debate I am on.
DeleteNeena, you're so funny! I hear you sha :)
DeleteStill venting...
DeleteI think young girls these days thinking parenthood and in fact, all of adulthood is about glamor and posting pictures everywhere.
How did this picture even go viral? Was it not meant to be taken for her private consumption?
People now use their kids (accessories) as excuse to get naked and bare the boobs they didnt have d courage to bare when they were single and pretending to be saints. (tongue out)
Anyways...
I wont show anybody my boobs without a fee. Cos someone already paid for it! Just ONE man.