Jacci Sharkey’s graduation photo is not like other graduation photos.
In it, the grinning 24-year-old mother of two is dressed in her formal academic gown and mortarboard — and she’s gazing down lovingly at her beautiful baby as she breastfeeds him.
The photo was posted to Facebook by The University of the Sunshine Coast along with a thank-you message Ms Sharkey sent after her recent graduation from a Bachelor in Business, HR Management and Marketing, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“Just wanted to share a photo from the most recent graduation that I am proud of,” the Facebook post cites Ms Sharkey as saying. “I’m extremely proud that with the support of the Uni, during my degree I was able to have 2 babies and still finish my degree. Thanks USC!”
The gorgeous photo has been Liked more than 66,000 times and shared more than 1800 times — a mass show of support by which, Ms Sharkey told The Courier Mail, she was pleasantly surprised.
“I didn’t realise it would get so much attention,” she said.
“I don’t think [breastfeeding] is something to be hidden,” she said. “You don’t have to cover yourself, your baby is having a feed … it’s not like you eat your food with a blanket over your head.
“A lot of people are like ‘I don’t need to see it’ – well that’s fine, don’t look.”
Jacci Sharkey, we salute you.
And we hereby grant you: an honorary degree in kick-arse parental multitasking.
A few celebrities who have posted their own breastfeeding snaps to social media:
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Top Comments
what a beautiful dress. Thanks for sharing...58eveningdress.
wow, people get so crazy over a picture of a child eating, clearly the Uni thought it was ok to publish and instigated it....ok, if you don't like it scroll on but I think this is a lovely article and there is no harm in looking at someone and saying well done, if you are feeling nasty for no reason then remember that at one time your very own mother might have fed you too (with a bottle or by breast) and you were probably very cute once too and it was just as lovely ;)