Brooklyn McKnight has spoken out against people who criticise women for breastfeeding in public, arguing that nursing a baby should be seen as normal. The influencer, 26, shared photos of herself breastfeeding her 21-month-old son Archie in public to address criticism of women who nurse outside the home.
McKnight described breastfeeding as 'the most natural thing' and encouraged mothers to feed their babies 'wherever and however' they want. She also said she had 'never felt more feminine' while nursing and explained her decision to share these photos.
'Anyway, here are some photos of me BF in public places just to give the middle finger to that side of the internet,' she wrote.
Fans Debate Modesty
The post quickly received support from followers who agreed that breastfeeding in public is appropriate. 'God forbid we use our breasts for their intended purposes,' one commenter wrote.
Another commenter compared public breastfeeding to men going shirtless and questioned why mothers are expected to seek private places to feed. However, some comments criticised the broader issue and suggested that mothers can breastfeed while staying covered.
'I do agree, but I also enjoy being modest at the same time. I think they can both exist,' one commenter wrote. 'My problem is when your whole boob is out without any type of modesty at all. I just think a little 'class' wouldn't hurt.'
Other followers argued that asking mothers to cover up reinforces the perception that breasts are inherently sexual. 'Stop sexualising breastfeeding then. It's a natural, human thing to do. Nature doesn't demand modesty or class; it demands to be fed and to grow,' one commenter wrote.
Another follower argued that even when a 'whole boob' is visible, the baby's body covers much of it.
Participants also compared public breastfeeding to men being shirtless, highlighting the double standard that requires mothers to cover up while men face no judgment for bare chests.
Celebrity Perspectives on Breastfeeding
Several celebrities have commented on public attitudes toward breastfeeding.
Alyssa Milano talked about the topic with Wendy Williams on The Wendy Williams Show in 2016. Williams explained that she prefers mothers to breastfeed in private, suggesting locations like a bathroom or car.
Milano challenged this view by asking, 'But would you eat under a blanket? 'and objected to the perception of breastfeeding as a sexual act.
Model Candice Swanepoel spoke about the issue after sharing a photo of herself breastfeeding her son in 2016, pointing out the pressure she felt to cover up while breastfeeding in public.
What Research Says
Research links the sexualisation of breasts to attitudes toward public breastfeeding. A 2022 review of 71 studies from 12 OECD countries found that viewing breasts as sexual leads to negative feelings about public breastfeeding.
It pointed to how framing breasts this way – rather than for maternal purposes – can increase discomfort and self-consciousness during nursing. A separate 2022 study of 506 US adults found generally positive attitudes toward breastfeeding.
In that experiment, whether breastfeeding took place in public or private and whether the mother was covered did not significantly change participants' evaluations. However, these studies address only one factor among the broader reasons for criticism of public breastfeeding.
