Woman Breastfeeds At Her College Graduation, Internet Freaks Out

Karlesha Thurman is a 25-year-old recent graduate of California State University Long Beach. She’s also a mom. She shared a photo snapped of her breastfeeding her daughter at graduation on the Black Women Do Breastfeed Facebook page. The photo went viral, and as you can imagine there are a ton of people freaking out about it.

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I see a happy graduate and a proud mom. I can’t wrap my brain around anyone having a problem with this picture. Of course, many people do.

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There are plenty of predictably dumb “tit” comments by men on Twitter, and a fair amount of slut-shaming – but I chose the comments made by women on purpose. Really? We’re really shaming another woman for feeding her child? I’ll never understand women like this. Grow up.

I don’t know what’s more disturbing, that people actually feel this way about breastfeeding or that they are so ignorant that they have no problem admitting that they feel this way. Managing to graduate from college while taking care of a young child is an impressive feat. She should only be celebrated – not slammed for being an awesome mom and successful student.

Thurman has responded to the backlash of the photo with grace. The Black Women Do Breastfeed Facebook page offered to take the picture down after it went viral. Here is Thurman’s response:

“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.”

It is your moment and good for you. And good for you for being proud of that moment and what it stands for for you and your daughter. No one can take that away from you – certainly not hordes of internet trolls.

There’s nothing scandalous about breastfeeding. I’m with Thurman. #Normalizebreastfeeding now. Enough is enough.

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