Mandi Vakili has defended her views about breast feeding in public, sparking a heated debate among residents. In a clip from her Sisters in the City podcast, shared with her sister and Love Island star Anna Vakili, Mandi said she “doesn’t like seeing women breastfeed in public” and that it makes her “uncomfortable”. Mandi also explained that she can feel awkward when her dad is around and a mother is exposed while breast feeding.

In a clip from her Sisters in the City podcast, shared with her sister and Love Island star Anna Vakili, Mandi said she “doesn’t like seeing women breastfeed in public” and that it makes her “uncomfortable”.

Mandi also explained that she can feel awkward when her dad is around and a mother is exposed while breast feeding.

The reactions to the original video were highly critical of the influencer’s views, prompting her to respond in the comments saying that people reacting badly to her views were ‘soft’ and ‘need to toughen up’.

Mandi also added that ‘I’m not talking about the women who cover and breastfeed I am saying the women who have their entire boob out next to me while I’m having my eggs Florentine at the café makes me awkward and uncomfortable’.

However, the original video has now been deleted.

TSB residents are divided, with some supporting Mandi’s right to state her opinion or even agreeing with her:

‘‘Her opinion. She’s allowed to have one.’’

‘‘I support breastfeeding in public, but I can also understand why someone may feel uncomfortable with a fully exposed breast. Both things can be true’’.

‘‘Me too tbh it makes me uncomfortable. Nothing wrong with that’’.

However, many said views like hers could contribute to a narrative that is harmful to an already isolated experience of motherhood. They pointed out that mothers may already feel judged or self-conscious when feeding their babies in public, and that adding further scrutiny or sexualisation can make an everyday experience more difficult.

‘‘Years and years trying to normalise something natural within society for a doris with a mic to try undo it all’’

‘‘Gurl, it’s showing how over-sexualised you are really, because what am I hearing?!’’

‘‘It’s actually uncomfortable for us too but I’m not about to let my baby starve because YOU feel uncomfortable. It’s already annoying when men say this sh*t but when it’s WOMEN saying it, it just irks my soul.’’

‘‘This is embarrassing for a woman to say! It is a blessing to be able to breast feed.’’

The 2010 Equality Act protects women from discrimination when breastfeeding in public. It is illegal to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding in spaces such as cafes, restaurants, shops, hotels, parks, libraries and public transport. Staff or owners cannot legally ask a mother to stop feeding, move, cover up or refuse service.

The legal protection is an important, but the debate surrounding Mandi’s comments is less about whether mothers have the right to breastfeed and more about how people should perceive breastfeeding in public.

The wider question is focused around whether it’s okay to feel uncomfortable when someone is breastfeeding.

For some residents, Mandi’s comments are simply an expression of personal preference. They argue that nobody can control how another person feels, and that finding something uncomfortable does not automatically make the person expressing that wrong, especially as she isn’t asking mothers to change their behaviour.

Others expressed that vocalising this discomfort can add toa negative stigma that harms mothers who may already feel self-conscious.

However, many questioned why Vakili was even offering her opinion on the topic, asking whether comments like these contribute anything to the conversation around breastfeeding or are simply designed to provoke a reaction.

‘‘At this point, buying a podcast mic should require a DBS check and two references.’’

‘‘Sometimes I wonder if people nowadays are just saying controversial things to stay relevant, or if they genuinely hold this belief.’’