Challenging Norms of Breastfeeding

In the state of Kerala in India, a cover of a magazine created a stir among the country. On the cover of the magazine Grihalakshmi “features a 27-year-old model Gilu Joseph dressed in a gray blouse, cradling a baby at her breast while she stares squarely at the camera”. The cover is also captioned “Don’t stare - we are breastfeeding”. This cover, published as a part of an early celebration and campaign for International Women’s Day, has received both applause and outrage. India, having a very patriarchal dominant society, still faces cultural challenges for breastfeeding in public, however, this cover also received praise from many celebrities and organizations such as UNICEF also making the point that neonatal deaths decrease up to 22% if the baby is fed within the first hour of birth.