Australian Senator Larissa Waters made history last month by appearing to breastfeed her two-month-old baby in Parliament after her maternity leave. She became the first parliamentarian in that country to enjoy this right in her workplace and was a sign that, fortunately, things are changing for working mothers.
Now we see her again in a powerful image that I have titled "The tit and the parliament" What is it a tribute to the conciliation. The senator for Queensland had to present a motion just when her 14-week-old daughter Alia claimed her breast, and did not hesitate to do what any mother would do: offer it to her right there. That's why we see her in this powerful photo in full speech before parliament while breastfeeding your baby naturally.
I wish it was not news
We were already commenting a month ago, speaking of this same senator, that it should not be news that a mother appears to breastfeed a baby in a parliament. It should be normal. But we are light years (well, I hope not so much) that this happens in other countries and does not come out in all media. For now, it is still news that a senator breastfeeds in full parliamentary session.
Unfortunately, there are still many areas in which it is frowned upon for a mother to breastfeed her baby in public. That's why images like this, that normalize breastfeeding and claim the rights of babies and working mothers, are so important.
AdvertisingBecause if a mother chooses to continue breastfeeding her baby when she returns to work she must have the necessary support from companies and institutions to be able to do so. And not only that, but having the possibility of taking your baby with you to work if that's what she has decided. Broader support, flexibility and maternity leave. That is what working mothers need.
Maternal leave Australia
You will be thinking "what is this woman doing working with her 14-week-old baby? Is that a tribute to the conciliation?"
Maternity leave in Australia is up to one year long, but not this one is not paid. Each company decides the maternity compensation offered to its employees.
The senator reappeared with her baby a month ago, benefiting from a new parliamentary rule that allows parents with babies in their care to go to parliament and feed them inside the enclosure. The mother decided it was a good time to return.
The freedom of working mothers passes for being able to choose what they consider to be the best for them and their babies when they decide. And that the environment facilitates it. I think it's the real breakthrough.
Babies in the Senate
It is not the first time we see a baby in the Senate. Other parliamentarians have also come with their children to their place of work, such as the Europarliamentary Licia Ronzulli, one of the priermas, or the deputy Carolina Bescansa in Spain a year and a half ago.
Nor is it the first time we see breastfeed a parliamentarian in full speech. So did an Icelandic legislator (and nobody seemed to care). Here Larissa, senator for the greens, talked about the problem of black lung disease in miners in Australia and it is not seen that the other parliamentarians are shocked by it. On the contrary, there have been signs of support and even affectionate images with their peers. Naturally, as it should be.
First time I've had to move a Senate motion while breastfeeding! And my partner in crime moved her own motion just before mine, bless her
- Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) June 22, 2017
I think this is what ppl mean when they talk abt a flexible boss. @RichardDiNatale with @larissawaters new staffer. @ellinghausen pic. pic.twitter.com/e5mrMT5p1p
- Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) June 22, 2017
Greens Senator Larissa Waters putting forward a motion on Black Lung while breastfeeding in the Senate #auspol pic.twitter.com/k7RgBy4yqp
- Lukas Coch (@cochl) June 22, 2017
