After having her decision to breastfeed her newborn daughter while at work last week labelled as “grandstanding,” Senator Larissa Waters has hit back, telling one publication to “get over it.”
Sharing a screenshot to Facebook on Sunday, the 40-year-old Greens Senator wrote, “Trolls don’t usually bother me, but I had to say something about this, for all breastfeeding mums.”
Alongside the message was a screenshot of an article published on The Gold Coast Bulletin that said Waters' decision to breastfeed her four-month-old daughter, Alia, while in the senate was a "spectacle" and asked how "grandstanding" tactics such as feeding an infant unable to feed itself was helping the people of Queensland.
"Feeding a hungry baby is not grandstanding and it’s certainly not a spectacle," Waters wrote, adding, "Women have always worked and reared children, whether that work was paid in the workplace or unpaid in the home. Get over it."
Listen: This Glorious Mess takes a look at the many amazing feats of breastfeeding mums. Post continues...
In May, Waters made history as the first woman to ever breastfeed in the Senate, and again last week, when she put forward a motion while feeding Alia.
Sadly, the Bulletin's comments weren't the only hate Waters has received since the historic event took place.
"Not a good look," one disparaging comment Waters shared read. "You may think its clever but believe me Waters will be remembered in politics as the dumb b**** with the big tits with an ego that was five feet in front of her brains."
Thankfully though, it appears Waters is not letting the voices of a few drown out the support from the many.
“So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament!" Waters tweeted in May, adding, "We need more women and parents in Parliament."
Top Comments
I can remember doing a field trip to see our local parliament sitting when I was in high school. I could see a number of members doodling and reading. And there is always someone dozing off when I used to watch question time. At least Senator Waters is doing something productive and she actually does seem to be listening to proceedings at the same time!
Good on Larissa for breastfeeding her baby. We shouldn't hate on her for being in a position to work and feed at the same time- more power to her! More women should do the same to help normalise breastfeeding at work and in public. Times have changed. The roles of a man and woman are the same these days. If anything a woman usually has more responsibility and pressures (home, children etc).
I am a newlywed and would love to start a family however my concern like so many other Australian women is being able to afford to be a stay at home mum and raise my child, there's nothing else in the world I would want. The other alternative is popping one out and placing it in childcare from a really early age and missing out on so many special moments and even being able to breastfeed for as long as I wanted. (I'm not judging any women that have had to do this, I will probably end up doing the same, Im just saying that I wish and hope I don't have to).
Unfortunately for many families one income just isn't enough especially if you're trying to crack into the property market. If workplaces provided proper childcare facilities and proper parental leave perhaps the decision wouldn't be so hard and we could find a happy balance. It just seems that everything is so incredibly difficult and their truly is no proper life/work balance in this country for the majority. We get worked to the bone just to make ends meet. And don't give me that coffee/avocado argument it's ridiculous.
Women need to do what they have to do to maintain their careers and home and if that means breastfeeding in a supermarket, park, restaurant, or even parliament - then so be it!