John Legend's photo of Chrissy Teigen pumping breast milk leaves people outraged

Legend wanted to express his appreciation to his wife for being 'awesome'

Chelsea Ritschel
in New York
Tuesday 19 June 2018 09:41 BST
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The celebrity couple has sparked backlash for a picture of Teigen pumping milk (Getty)
The celebrity couple has sparked backlash for a picture of Teigen pumping milk (Getty)

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Celebrity couple John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are at the centre of a heated debate over the appropriateness of breastfeeding in public, after Legend shared a photo for Father’s Day of his wife pumping breast milk.

In the photo, which was taken in the car on their way to dinner, Teigen is giving the peace sign as she pumps milk from both breasts.

Legend uploaded the photo to Instagram, where he has more than eight million followers, with the caption: “I know it’s Father’s Day and all but my wife is pretty awesome. She’s taking me to dinner but still on mummy duty.”

The couple recently gave birth to their son Miles a month ago, and since then Teigen has been open about her breastfeeding.

However, despite the pumps covering her breasts in the photo, people are outraged by the “indecent” photo of Teigen - which normalises breastfeeding - and have attacked the pair.

“That’s unacceptable! There are things that need to be private,” one person wrote. Another said: “This is disgusting.”

“There is a time and place for every single thing. This is tacky, cheap, and literally disgusting. I am a woman but I do know as well this is inappropriate,” someone wrote.

Fortunately, the negative comments make up only some of the 13,000 comments the couple received on their photo.

Others were quick to defend the couple, who regularly post about life with two young children.

“Don't ever stop what you’re doing! We need amazing advocates for booby feeding and you’re doing an amazing job and looking fab, don't ever be put off by these attention-seeking trolls! I have seen more flesh in kids magazines and we NEED people to finally see breastfeeding as the norm! You both rock!” one person wrote.

Another praised Legend for supporting his wife and for normalising breastfeeding - on Father’s Day.

“Yes, wife appreciation and breastfeeding normalisation in one!” they commented.

This isn’t the first time Legend and Teigen have shared the realities of new parenthood with their fans.

In another photo on Instagram, taken shortly after giving birth, Teigen holds baby Miles while dressed in post-partum mesh adult underwear.

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