Rumer Willis has responded to criticism over an Instagram photo of herself breastfeeding her daughter, Louetta. The actress, who turned 35, shared the image on Friday as part of a birthday post. Some followers questioned why she would post such a photo, with one accusing her of seeking attention and claiming nursing should remain private.
Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, hit back at the comments. In response to a user asking 'why', she simply replied: 'Cause I want to.' To another critic who said the image was 'for attention', she called breastfeeding a 'privilege' and accused the commenter of having 'a limited view' of the practice.
She further explained her motivation, writing: 'I think it’s incredibly important to share because there is an incredible amount of shame that comes with being born into a female body. And I want to lead by example in teaching my daughter that she doesn’t have to be ashamed of her body ever.'
When a third critic labelled her 'narcissistic' and 'insecure', Willis responded that she 'really couldn’t care less about [their] opinion' and that she knows her own intentions. She added: 'I will celebrate every sec of this journey because this is my first time doing all of this... I’m sharing because things like breastfeeding need to be honoured instead of shamed.'
Willis welcomed Louetta with boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas in April. She has previously spoken about body positivity, sharing a nude photo and describing her breasts as a 'gift' to her baby. She wrote: 'My breasts... what a gift and privilege that they can feed and provide nourishment for my Lou.'
