Olympian Torah Bright Reacts to Controversy Over Her Handstand Breastfeeding Photo

Torah Bright received a lot of backlash for a photo she posted on social media. The 34-year old Australian snowboarder and Olympian posted a photo of her doing a handstand while breastfeeding her son earlier this month. There were some negative comments about the photo, leading her to appear on TMZ Live on Thursday to clear things up.

Bright told TMZ that she didn’t mean to shame mothers for not being as fit and/or capable of doing something similar. She also said that everyone’s breastfeeding experience is different and that she was only sharing her own way she thought was fun. Bright also said that she received a lot of positive comments on the photo.

Before appearing on TMZ Live, Bright posted a video on Instagram defending the post. “There were a lot of negative comments from mothers. There were a lot of positive ones too,” Bright stated “Mothers, we need to encourage each other. We need to lift each other up. We need to play each other compliments. We need to support each other.” In the caption, Bright said she couldn’t believe she even had to make a video about this.

“The photo was just a little bit of pure fun!” Bright wrote. “Celebrating the bond between mother and child. “I can understand how it’s not everyone’s taste, that’s fine. But from some of the negative feedback, what has struck me most is how we all, especially mothers need to support and up lift. Not judge a moment in time. Let’s find the village of motherhood to grow and support each other. Remember…Our children learn from our example.”

Bright is considered Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian, winning a gold medal at the 2010 games in Vancouver and a silver medal at the 2014 games at Sochi. Bright is also a two-time X Games gold medalist, three-time US Open winning and a two-time Global Open Champion.

“My big thing is, whether I do it through competing or something I do after I’m done competing, I want to give back to the sport that gave me so much,” Bright said in a 2014 interview with Sports Illustrated Kids. “And to influence other young females who just need a little push to get out there, because it’s a daunting world being a young female especially in snowboarding where it’s a male-dominated sport. I’d just like them to see the joy you can have. It’s a lifestyle. It can teach you many good things.”