An Indonesian film critic has apologized after being called out in public for his demeaning and insensitive remark about a breastfeeding celebrity.
Indonesian singer/actress Aura Kasih is currently taking a break from the entertainment scene to take care of her 2-month-old daughter Arabella along with her husband, Brazilian model Eryck Amaral. Last week, a well-known film critic named Yan Widjaya tweeted about Aura, bringing up a certain aspect of her physical transformation as a new mother.
“[After she has recently] had a baby, Aura Kasih was given two milk factories, so please understand that she’s taking a break from acting in movies for the time being,” Yan wrote in the now-delted tweet.
The tweet angered Aura, who called him out in a series of Instagram stories.
“There’s someone named Yan Widjaya, who’s reportedly a film critic, a senior, and a novelist! But he’s not educated enough [because] he just harassed me as a breastfeeding mother… Remember Sir, you were born from a woman, not a stone… It’s a shame for somebody your age as well as your family,” Aura wrote. She later said that his tweet constituted a form of harassment towards all breastfeeding mothers.
After being called out, Yan apologized and deleted his tweet, saying that many netizens had also criticized him for the impolite remark.
“I’d like to sincerely apologize to Aura Kasih for my mistake. It’s truly a blessing for mothers who are able to breastfeed their children,” Yan tweeted in an apology, before deactivating his Twitter account.
Aura told the media that she initially wanted to report Yan to the police but decided against it because the 68-year-old film critic reminded her of her late grandfather.
In an Instagram post published last weekend, Aura showed that she asked Yan to meet her and for him to bring along his wife and children so they would be aware of how he has behaved on social media. Yan replied that he’s ready to meet her anytime, but he said he’d go by himself because his wife passed away more than 10 years ago and his child currently lives abroad.
Aura, accompanied by her lawyer and manager, finally met Yan in person yesterday. The actress accepted Yan’s apology on the condition that he does not mock or harass women, especially mothers, ever again.
“Aura wanted this matter to be an example to many Indonesians, so they won’t bully or harass breastfeeding women verbally, on social media, or Whatsapp groups,” Aura’s attorney Tantri Benarto said yesterday, as quoted by Detik.
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