Malayalam model breastfeeds in an iconic, bold magazine cover shoot; garners mixed reactions on social media

In what is a historic first, a Malayalam fortnightly magazine Grihalakshmi has challenged patriarchy among several social norms by featuring model, poet, writer and air hostess Gilu Joseph breastfeeding a baby on the cover. While the act of breastfeeding is venerated as sublime and best representative of a mother’s bond with her children, it also happens to be seen in a ‘shamefully vile and sexualised context’ when in public spaces, to the extent of even making it a taboo. Especially in a country, where many have anointed themselves as moral police, this campaign is striving to start a revolution, no less. Joseph talked about what she feels about nudity, how this cover will be perceived, the doubts and fears she had before committing to this, to IE Malayalam.

When she was approached with the project, Joseph did not think twice before agreeing to be a part of this. She said that she thinks of breastfeeding as a privilege that only a mother has. Emphasising on how women should know that this a very natural phenomenon, she said there is nothing to be ashamed of if one has to feed her baby. “It is a problem to interpret this sexually. Isn’t it a beautiful thing, friends? Why do you think it is wrong? Which god will be angry if you feed your child” she was quoted saying.

On asked if she had any apprehensions before saying yes to this campaign, the 27-year-old said she had none of that sort. “I am extremely proud of my body and only I exercise rights over it. I only do things that I think is right for me, which is why I had no qualms in taking up this project,” she said.

source: twitter

Joseph said her family did not and still doesn’t support her decision of having taken this up. Her mother and two sisters, of which the older is a nun, live in Kumily, in Idukki district of Kerala. They staunchly opposed her when she informed them about this. She said she respects and understands why they refused. “But nothing can deter me from doing what I feel is right,” she said.

Upon asked why she has a thick line of vermilion smeared on her forehead while she is rattling the patriarchal bedrock on the cover otherwise, she said that this was an assignment the magazine gave her and focused on telling lakhs of mothers and wives that they can exercise their right to breastfeed their children fearlessly.

When she was approached with the project, Joseph did not think twice before agreeing to be a part of this. She said that she thinks of breastfeeding as a privilege only a mother has.

The magazine’s campaign ‘Breastfeed freely’ is a part of its International Women’s Day celebrations and was inspired by a 23-year-old mother Amritha U, whose photo of feeding her child went viral on the Internet in January this year, after her husband A B Biju shared it on Facebook. While on one hand, the campaign is raking in praises for taking a step towards normalising breastfeeding, on the other, it is receiving flak for choosing an actress and focusing on “aesthetic appeal” instead of a realistic representation of an actual mother.

Deepa Nisanth, a lecturer in Kerala called out the magazine for featuring “progressive mentality only on the cover” while otherwise carrying flimsy write-ups like “What mothers should know about how their daughters dress,” “25 ways to woo your husband,” etc.