Air Force Mom Breastfeeding in Uniform Is Stunning Look at Military Parenthood

[KamaAina]

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/air-force-mom-breastfeeding-in-uniform-is-stunning-113524714422.html

A photo of a U.S. military member breastfeeding her baby while in uniform has sparked heated online discussion about whether or not the ideals of motherhood and military strength can — and should — mix.

“I know there will be people who don’t agree with me nursing in uniform,” wrote Air Force Reserves member Jonea Cunico on Facebook, where photographer Jade Beall posted the powerful image of Cunico nursing her 14-month-old son. “There are no regulations forbidding me to do so. I am a mother. Both inside and outside of my uniform. Breastfeeding is part of motherhood for me.”

Beall, an Arizona-based photographer, is known for shooting intimate, honest portraits of women — stretch marks, lactating breasts, and all. Last year, she published “The Bodies of Mothers: A Beautiful Body Project,” which was lauded for being truthful and empowering. “My latest Shero, the beautiful Jonea,” Beall wrote along with her post of Cunico’s picture. “I had the tremendous honor to photograph her a few days ago.” She then included what Cunico had written about her body image — that she’d been teased all her life for being too thin, and that, when people have told her she looks like she’s never been pregnant, it affects her deeply, and makes her feel “ashamed.” That, Beall noted, gave her “chills.”

For Cunico, who is 25 and pregnant with her second child, posing for Beall was an opportunity she had “often daydreamed about,” and she jumped at the opportunity. “I think the photo is beautiful. It documents such a special time for me,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “I admire her work and effort to bring women and humanity together. Her work has personally impacted my life and I wanted to be a part of something that could do the same for other women.”

[CurtEastPoint]

1. And yet our delicate nature in the US requires the photo be pixillated so as not to offend.

So silly.

[appal_jack]

4. Blame Yahoo. Even Facebook did not see the need to pixellate.

https://www.facebook.com/JadeBeallPhotography/photos/pb.193035750743906.-2207520000.1426268608./831187540262054/?type=1&theater

[bravenak]

2. Used to whip it out wherever I needed to.

Only little kids really noticed. And men. I think I look like the type you don't tell to take it into the bathroom. I wish somebody would. I love telling people no.

[handmade34]

3. ...

[laundry_queen]

6. Ditto.

Had mostly positive comments from older women, thankfully. The worst comments were from my own brother who told me it was 'disgusting' to breastfeed on the couch in front of family. I told him he could go to another room if he didn't like it, but I wasn't moving. My mom, who breastfed my brother, backed me up on that one, lol.

[bravenak]

9. Americans are super weird about boobies.

I always laugh. It is so weird. I guess I've seen enough of them for it to not be a big deal.

[Tsiyu]

8. Same here

But even sitting in my car once, had some youngish women walk by and just go ballistic with laughter.

"At least I won't get breast cancer," I yelled. "And at least these are REAL!" They quit laughing.


lol

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. It's a wonderful photo...good for her and her son!

I hope she'll inspire more women in uniform, and women in all walks of life, for that matter.

Brava, Jonea Cunico!

[Tsiyu]

7. We have devolved on this issue

The United States: Most. Immature. Nation. Ever.

I've related this story before. Cuz is in Sierra Leone a few years back, in the gov't compound, talking with the guards.

Up comes a woman begging for medical care. She lifts her shirt to show what's wrong with her breasts. Guys don't flinch, yuk it up or act like it's anything unusual.

She talks to guards about it, and they are bewildered why they should have any reaction at all to seeing breasts.

Later, she talks to women in SL who laugh when she explains how men in the US would act if a woman did that.

"You mean American men are like babies who still obsess over the breast? Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!"

The women proceeded to make a lot of fun of American men for their infantile fascination and lack of self control. But some US women are just as bad.

BOOBIES!!!!!!!


Ridiculous.