It was intended to be shocking and provocative, or it would not have been on the cover of a magazine whose circulation is headed for the sea bottom. It was the picture as a picture that was inappropriate, not the fact of nursing a 3-year-old child.
Even if this were Africa or the South Pacific, where open breastfeeding of older children is common, I think the pose of the skinny blonde pulling off her tank top while the big kid in army boots stared at the camera would still have been shocking, because it is not the normal behavior of nursing mothers and children anywhere. It is, as I said above, bizarre exhibitionism.
There are millions of women walking about being pregnant and clothed; no doubt their husbands see them undressed with (one hopes) some fondness. There are many women breastfeeding, even older infants/toddlers, and nobody gives it a thought because they are not making a public spectacle.
I think that the photo actually does our side some good. Although I’m sure that was NOT the intent of the leftmedia rag that ran it. To me, running photos like that or having women very publicly breastfeed their children has an innoculative effect. Sure, it’ll raise eyebrows the first time. And maybe the second. But after a few times it just isn’t a big deal.
I don’t think anyone out there is advocating that women MUST breastfeed in public. But if they want to, why should it be a problem? Its a biological function and preferable from a health perspective. And I think it has the effect of demonstrating that children are important.