Breastfeeding picture on magazine cover: Obscenity lies in eyes of beholder says Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court has ruled out a case of obscenity regarding the cover photo in the Grihalaxmi magazine which showed a woman breastfeeding a child.

'There is no obscenity in a woman breastfeeding a baby on 'Grihalaxmi' magazine cover, obscenity lies in the eyes of the beholder,' Kerala High Court said. The picture had sparked a major controversy in March and a case was registered against the magazine and model on grounds of indecency.

The case was registered by advocate Vinod Matthew against the publisher and the model in the CJM court of Kollam in Kerala. The charges were filed under Section 3 and 4 of indecent representation of women (Prohibition) act 1986.

Grihalakshmi's cover on March 1st issue stirred up a conversation about breastfeeding in public.

The cover features 27-year-old model, poet, writer Gilu Joseph breastfeeding a child. The text below the image read: "Mothers tell Kerala, 'please don't stare, we need to breastfeed."