Breastfeeding in public is a tired taboo, but women aren’t afraid to challenge outdated views of the practice.

While it’s lawfully allowed in 49 states (Idaho is the exception), breastfeeding is only exempt from public indecency laws in 29 states. As a result, women who publicly bare their breasts to feed their children are regularly shamed, even though it’s overwhelmingly recommended by health care professionals for infant health.

But with the popularity of the #brelfie, women are fighting breastfeeding stigma by bringing their activism to social media, posting photos of themselves unapologetically nursing.

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, a time to advocate for less stigma and more acceptance, we rounded up seven striking photos of women who breastfed in public or shared that moment online — and were criticized for it.

1. Feeding in uniform

I totally support the military moms breastfeeding. The controversy over it is absolutely ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/27POcXBs

— Sheanna Marie (@SheannaMarie) June 1, 2012

In 2012, a professional photograph of two airwomen of the United States Air Force, Terran Echegoyen McCabe and Christina Luna, breastfeeding sparked major criticism from those in the service. Critics said the photo was a “disgrace to the uniform.”

An Air Force spokesman told The Air Force Times after the photo went viral that the uniform was misused, stating, “Our issue is not, nor has it ever been, about breastfeeding. It has to do with honoring the uniform and making sure it’s not misused. I can’t wear my uniform to a political rally to try to sell you something or push an ideology. That was our point of contention.”

2. Black women do breastfeed

Finally graduated, all my family came through to support. Thank you pic.twitter.com/jK6B44bbFT

— . (@KiaraxBlanco) June 8, 2014

In June 2014, Karlesha Thurman found a photo of her breastfeeding at her California State University, Long Beach, graduation at the center of controversy. The new mom posted a photo of her feeding her daughter in her cap and gown on the Facebook page Black Women Do Breastfeed. Feeding during her ceremony was a move critics condemned as inappropriate, and a sign of her apparent “sexual promiscuity.”

Thurman told TODAY, “It’s not disgusting, it’s not a bad thing, it’s not a negative thing. It’s the best thing for my daughter.”

3. Same concept, different reaction

In November 2014, Jacci Sharkey, a graduate of the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, submitted a photo of her breastfeeding in her graduation gown to her university after graduation. The university posted the photo on Facebook, with a caption of Sharkey saying, “I’m extremely proud that with the support of the Uni, during my degree I was able to have two babies and still finish my degree.”

Reception to the photo was largely positive, in contrast to harsh criticism Thurman’s endured only a few months earlier. Many argue that racial dynamics caused the stark difference in response, pointing to the historical sexualization of black women’s bodies as a source of shame.

4. Motherhood ‘ain’t always pretty’

This is motherhood and it ain’t always pretty. What’s your #momtruth? #motherhood #motherhoodaintpretty #tmi #confessionsofamom #ididthat #iamnotsorry

A photo posted by Elisha Wilson Beach (@mylifeisabeach) on Apr 18, 2015 at 1:50pm PDT

In April, Elisha Wilson Beach’s viral photo of her feeding her daughter while sitting on a toilet gained a lot of criticism for being inappropriate and unsanitary. Originally posted to Beach’s Instagram, the picture was reposted by the popular Facebook page Life of Dad, where the image took off.

Beach’s take on the situation? “This is motherhood, and it ain’t always pretty.”

5. The first feed

Powerful images from April show a woman, who found out she had stage 3 breast cancer during her pregnancy, feeding her baby with her single breast. The text accompanying the post explained that the woman “wanted to breastfeed after having many of her birth choices and preferences taken from her” because of her illness.

6. Open letter to the haters

In May, Conner Kendall was shocked when she came across a picture taken of her while publicly breastfeeding her son in a restaurant, with a caption shaming her for not covering herself while feeding. She responded with an open letter on Facebook to the man who posted the photo.

In the letter, she said, “All mommies should be able to feed their babies whenever, wherever and however they choose.” The response quickly went viralm and has been shared more than 98,000 times.

7. Multitasking mom

Victoria Donda Perez, an Argentinian politician, breastfed her daughter during a parliamentary session in July. A photo of the feeding gained praise from breastfeeding advocates, and challenged opinions of breastfeeding as inappropriate for the workplace.

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