Here’s How Mila Kunis Was Shamed for Breastfeeding in Public
No woman is safe from societal sexism, no matter how influential or famous she is. That’s exactly what honest mom Mila Kunis proved after she recounted examples of how she was shamed for breastfeeding her daughter, Wyatt, in public.
At the New York premiere of her latest film — Bad Moms — on Monday evening, Mila spoke with Vanity Fair about her views on new mothers, and that they should be free to feed their children anytime, anywhere, sans judgment.
“I support every woman’s choice in what she wants to do and whatever makes them happy, but for me, I did nurse my child and I literally breastfed everywhere,” said Mila, who’s currently pregnant with her second child. “There were many times where I didn’t bring a cover with me, and so I just did it in a restaurant, in the subway, in the park, at airports and in planes. Why did I do it in public? Because I had to feed my child. She’s hungry. I need to feed her whether it’s out of a bottle or out of my boob no matter where I was.”
She also explained that the glares she and husband Ashton Kutcher received when she would breastfeed made them “feel a little weird.”
“It took us a little back because people actually looked at us in a shameful [way], and we were like, ‘Oh my God,’ because it’s so not a sexual act,” she said. “It didn’t matter to me what other people thought… In the States and in our culture, we sexualize the breast so much that there’s an aspect of it that people just don’t know how to wrap their head around the idea of showing your breast in public. But I respect the opinions on both sides. If it’s not for you, don’t look.”
Props to Mila for speaking out on such an important issue. It’s 2016 — let’s stop shaming women’s bodies, shall we?
What do you think about breastfeeding in public? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Kevin Winter and Stephen Dunn/Getty)