Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has spoken out against what she describes as 'sexist mum shaming' after posting a lingerie photoshoot on Instagram. The actress, who shares three children with ex-partner Scott Sinclair, defended her decision to model for Ann Summers, arguing that mothers should not be judged for expressing their sexuality.
In a post shared on Tuesday, Flanagan, 33, wrote: 'Here's a question... Why is mum shaming a thing but dad shaming isn’t? I’ve always been and will always be such a good mum. It's the most important job I’ve ever done!' She added that the past year has been 'tumultuous' and that she is 'learning to look after myself and have fun along the way'.
The actress, known for her racy social media presence, said she receives 'floods of messages calling me a bad mum or saying mums shouldn’t look or dress or behave like this'. She challenged the 'old fashioned idea of how mums should look and dress', insisting that feeling confident and happy makes her a better parent.
Flanagan concluded her post by offering support to other mothers: 'To any mums who follow me going through a hard time or finding themselves again - I just wanna say I support you! Let’s leave the sexist mum shaming behind.'
