During a debate about breastfeeding in public places on today’s episode of This Morning (Thursday 18 July), viewers were left stunned when an author argued that ‘boobs are to attract men’.
Read more: This Morning’s Eamonn Holmes reveals he nearly split with his wife Ruth Langsford after fiery row
After speaking with a woman who had been asked to stop breastfeeding on a commercial KLM flight, hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford debated the issue in the studio with Lottie Daley and author and columnist Virginia Blackburn.
“I was on the Tube quite recently and a young couple sat down and with a flourish this woman produced her breasts and clamped her child and I was like, ‘For god’s sake’,” Virgina said.
She added: “It’s not just a nipple it’s secondary genitalia.”
“Is that because women’s breasts have been sexualised? I mean, women’s breasts are there to feed babies. That’s what they’re for,” Ruth answered.
Virginia said in reply: “They’re there to attract men as much as they are to feed children. I mean, that’s a fact.”
The author and columnist’s extreme views attracted a negative reaction on Twitter.
#KLM are you actually for real?! Babies need feeding; what isn’t acceptable are adults munching on toasted sandwiches & downing drinks, stuffing crisps like they’ll never eat again…offer them a blanket and us earplugs #sortyourselvesout #breastfeeding #thismorning
— Rebecca (@whitelilly7) July 18, 2019
#ThisMorning I cannot understand why is it so difficult to make oneself to look decent when breastfeeding. It should not be banned, but yet again it should not be offensive to other participant or onlookers or what ever general public may be described. Unless consent was sought
— Rasa McClure (@RasaMcClure) July 18, 2019
I’ve joined Twitter today just to say GET A GRIP it’s a mother feeding a baby, nothing more. If a flash of a nipple and a breastfeeding baby is the most offensive sight someone has seen whilst travelling they should count themselves lucky #thismorning #itsnatural @ManVersusBaby
— Emma McClean (@mummyherts) July 18, 2019
"The purpose of breasts are too attract men" Um what? I'm pretty sure throughout all of evolution and the development of humans (even if you believe god created everything) never once has it been 'oh yes let's give people breasts to make them more attractive' 🤦🏼♀️#ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/emp8H0fe77
— Sophie🔥 (@introducingsxph) July 18, 2019
One Tweeter said, “#KLM are you actually for real?! Babies need feeding; what isn’t acceptable are adults munching on toasted sandwiches & downing drinks, stuffing crisps like they’ll never eat again…offer them a blanket and us earplugs #sortyourselvesout #breastfeeding #thismorning.”
A second wrote: “I’ve joined Twitter today just to say GET A GRIP it’s a mother feeding a baby, nothing more. If a flash of a nipple and a breastfeeding baby is the most offensive sight someone has seen whilst travelling they should count themselves lucky #thismorning #itsnatural @ManVersusBaby.”
#breastfeeding #breastfeedinginpublic. I agree with covering up! I don't think people would want to see my milk squirting at my child, when she gets aggy on my breast.
I wouldn't want to see any other milk being squirted at a child if I was around. #youandbabytime#ThisMorning— Lauren Rhian (@LaurenRhian) July 18, 2019
There was one person, however, agreed with Virginia.
A Twitter user wrote: “I agree with covering up!”
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