Time Magazine Provocative Breastfeeding Cover

[Sarahkka]

I found myself pretty annoyed by the cover photo. I think it is being deliberately provocative and fanning the flames of a debate that does not need to be so harsh and judgemental (on either side). If you scroll down through the linked article, you can see the cover photo.
What do you think? Are they giving coverage and supporting good discussion or just trying to sell magazines?

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/time-cover_n_1507929.html

I thought these two articles had interesting things to say on the matter:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-belkin/no-i-am-not-mom-enough_b_1507550.html

This one was written by a woman who participated in the photo shoot:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dionna-ford/time-magazine_b_1507799.html

 

[Siuan]

yes, I saw this earlier because Stephen Fry retweeted it referring to the TV comedy show Little Britain. You probably haven't seen it living in Canada, but it's a show by comedians David Walliams and Matt Lucas. It utilises short sketches to take the mickey out of various parts of British society which are stereotypical. It's meant tongue in cheek but it's also VERY edgy and it takes the mickey out of all sorts of potentially controversial subjects - like homosexuality, transgenders etc (like a teenager called Vicky who is portrayed as a stereotypical council estate girl who is not very articulate/intelligent or a chav/pikey (if that means anything in Canada!)

In this case, Stephen Fry is referring to the "bitty" sketch where a grown man is still breast fed by his Mother/Grandmother and he'll ask for bitty in order to get his breastmilk. Fry seems to think that BFing a 3 year old is along the same lines of this bitty sketch. I have to say I find that very insulting and the Time publication have deliberately set out to provoke that exact response.

I don't think I'll be BFing my LO until she's 3 years old. I'll probably stop at around 6-8 months if we manage to get that far, but it's up to each individual whether to BF longer and if they want to do so until whatever age - that's up to them. It's not fair of any publication or a supposedly intelligent celebrity to judge that.

In this case - it is no doubtedly done deliberately to sell magazines. Though, it is a dodgy move - it is possible it'll simply turn some people off it rather than making them buy it. Then again, we're talking about it now - so perhaps that's what they wanted really...

Best to google it to be honest - if you google Little Britain bitty, you'll get the idea..

 

[Sarahkka]

I do know Little Britain!
I think it is hilarious, generally. And I have always been a fan of Stephen Fry, so boo hiss to him making such an ignorant comment.
See, I have no problem with wanting to promote discourse on the topic. In fact, I think that would be great! Putting that photo on the cover, however, provoked controversy, not discourse. It seems like it is a waste of an opportunity - we could have had a chance to talk about why we all get so mad and judgey at each other over this topic. Instead, it is all about reaction.
Frustrating.
If Time (or these women) were trying to raise awareness, I don't know if I think they succeeded. They may have done more damage to the cause (that being the effort to end the mommy wars and let every family just feed in peace!)

 

[JASMAK]

yeah, wasn't the best picture, but at the same time...I don't think it's very provactive...just the way they have the boy looking like he is very independent, but hey...he is! I don't think it looks gross or anything. People will think what they think, because I think for most, they already have their opinions formed, for the most part. I personally think they were trying to make the boy look older than three...lol...dumb picture. Oh well.

 

[Yammas]

I was shocked when I saw the cover as I wasnt expecting to see the boy standing on a chair but I think it was done to shock people and sell extra magazines by cauaing controversy.

I dont think that it helped those who choose to continue breastfeeding as there is already a social opinion that its weird so pictures like that only make it look even more weird instead of normalising it.

 

[Lightworker]

My thoughts exactly. Playing right into the hands of those who already have negative perceptions of BFing older children.

 

[YoshiPikachu]

I think it was a stupid thing for the bother to do. There are already lots of people that are against breastfeeding, this is mostly going to make it worse.

 

[smelly07]

It will never be normalised (although it shouldnt have to be anyway) with photos like that flying about, i have seen photos of women with sexy underwear on, full on make up and hair all sexy looking....... breastfeeding, stating, 'i breastfeed.'...................and? you want need to tell the world that whilst laying on a bed in lace underwear with bright red lipstick on....?.!

i dont think articles like that help at all, in all honesty it shouldnt even be an issue and its sad that it is. x

 

[ahcigar1]

Saw this while on vacation visity my family. All of us were breastfeeders, even my aunt who is very natural in parenting. All of us thought that it to be provacative and uncalled for. Also all of us agreed that now this will be another subject that those that disagree with it will be claired a bigot because we don't think that kids should be breastfed past the age of 1 when they go onto regular milk and no longer require those nutrients.

 

[freckleonear]

It was certainly the most in-your-face photo out of the lot, but in a way it strips away any possible distractions to focus on the main issue, which is breastfeeding an older child. Lots of people have suggested that a more cuddly in-arms photo would have been better, but that would send messages about infantilising a child. And let's face it, feeding a toddler often isn't like feeding a nice snuggly little newborn who lies contentedly in your arms, so it has an element of realism to it.

No, it isn't going to change negative perceptions about extended breastfeeding, but I honestly don't think anything would at this stage. However it may do a small part to help normalise it. Instead of not even knowing it exists, people will be able to think "ah yes I remember a magazine article/tv programme/whatever about that", which is a step towards knowing a friend's cousin's wife who does it, and eventually people will realise that it's really not so uncommon after all. Once it's got to that stage, we may be able to challenge ignorance about the benefits and what a natural weaning age for humans is.

The caption, on the other hand, I'm not so keen on.

 

[Yammas]

The thing that gets me though is that there are soo many formula companies making 'toddler millk' now so I dont see why it should be any different.

 

[Sarahkka]

It wasn't the photo as much as the caption for me, freckleonear - I agree with that. And must say that I think your avatar rocks!
I don't care how old anyone's child is when they wean. That is a personal relationship and is decided by the family.
But the "Are you mom enough" really pissed me off. It was disrespectful.
And again, why that approach when we could have chosen different words that provoked thought and discussion instead of just being divisive and deliberately antagonistic?
Sure, it worked from a marketing perspective, but that doesn't garner any respect from me.

 

[summer rain]

Talking of bitty, apparently the original idea about the sketch was not to mock EBF at all rather it was to poke fun at those who think If you EBF you'll still be feeding your kids as adults and just show in a visual way how silly that is. Unfortunately though a lot of people don't get this and call out 'bitty' left right and centre whenever you get a scenario of anyone over one year old BF xx

 

[smokey]

I didnt like the picture, it came across as a bit to sterile and crusader like to me.
I prefere this picture of mayim balik that she put on her blog feeding her 3 1/2 year old.

https://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/mayim-bialik-family-breast-feeding.jpg

 

[smokey]

Some may find this interview with mayim Balik about the cover interesting

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/14/attachment-parenting-mayim-bialik_n_1515029.html

 

[JASMAK]

love it! I breastfeed my 21 month old...and tbh, I didn't really think much of the picture, except that perhaps they were trying to make him look 'older' than he was, but who cares? I really didn't understand what the prob was with the picture, tbh...but I have not read the article. If someone had not pointed out about the picture, I wouldn't have batted an eye.

 

[Blah11]

I felt the same jasmak. The little boy looks like a very big 3 year old

 

[vaniilla]

I thought it was ridiculous article and it looked like what it was, a shock value article to alienate attachment parenting as much as possible, anything natural about bf has been taken out of that photo on purpose.