Breastfeeding Angelina Exposure: Vicarious Celebrity Endorsements are Welcome

Angelina Jolie’s cover on W magazine has been the topic of discussion and debate since it debuted last week.  For those of you who have not heard, she is depicted on the front cover in a shot taken by Brad Pitt.  It was supposedly taken while she was breastfeeding one of their twins.

I have been resisting the temptation to blog about this for days now because I do not get all the fuss about this photo.  Frankly, I have seen more titillating depictions, no pun intended, in photo shoots from runway shows.  Perhaps it is my combined myopia and presbyopia, but if you looked too quickly you could miss the tiny hand near Angelina’s left breast.  Given Angelina’s wilder past, you could take it as a fashion statement if you just gave it a quick glance.

However, since the lives of most celebrities are the fodder of the paparazzi, most people assume that she is breastfeeding one of her young babies. It is lovely that this photo of her as a radiant mother of twins was put forth to the world by their father.  I think Angelina looks extremely beautiful and serene whether she was actually feeding in the shot or not.  More power to her.

I like that Angelina Jolie has chosen to make her celebrity light shine upon breastfeeding.  She has spoken in many publications and attributed her breastfeeding combined with a healthy diet to her regaining her svelte figure in just about 3 months.

She has been the champion of adoption and an ambassador for UNICEF in recent years.  I am pleased that she is now basking in the full glow of her own motherhood.  I welcome her using her celebrity status to spark conversation about the benefits of breastfeeding and being a role model to her fans.

After all these years… Breastfeeding continues to spark controversy and inspire debate about one of the natural functions of the female body and its role in nurturing our babies.

Bring it on.  Breastfeeding obviously still needs this kind of tasteful exposure.