Supermodel Nicole Trunfio defends her breastfeeding Elle cover

Following a diverse reaction to her June cover shoot for Elle Australia, Nicole Trunfio has defended the image, admitting it was not intended to be controversial.

With hopes to normalise breastfeeding, the magazine features the supermodel cradling four-month-old son Zion, and a Burberry coat slipping off her shoulder; a photograph that was not “planned or contrived”.

Trunfio explained: “He was with me on set all day and there were periods I’d take off to feed him and I had on this beautiful outfit and the stylist was like, ‘Wow, that looks amazing, let’s move you on set to have this picture taken.’

“The last thing I want to do is be controversial, so please take this for what it is, let us #normalizebreastfeeding. There is nothing worse than a mother that is judged for feeding her hungry child in public.”

While some people have criticised the magazine for only using the breastfeeding image on their subscribers’ edition, and selling a version with a fully-clothed Trunfio in stores, Elle Australia’s editor-in-chief, Justine Cullen, has defended the decision. “Outside of normalising breastfeeding, it’s about not judging women. Whether it’s for breastfeeding in public, or for not breastfeeding, or not being able to breastfeed.”

Sharing the image on Facebook earlier this week, Trunfio wrote: “I’m so proud of this cover and for what it stands for. I obviously don’t look like this while I am breastfeeding but this stands for all women out there, whether you breastfeed or not, we gave birth, we are women, we are mothers. Thank you to Elle for being so bold and making such an encouraging, positive and healthy statement.”

Rebekah Absalom