Kissing isn’t always sexual. If it makes you uncomfortable, grow up

Hilary Duff kissed her son on the lips and sparked global outrage, with critics calling it “unhealthy”. You know what’s unhealthy? Not being affectionate to your loved ones.

Apparently this photo of Hilary Duff with her son at Disneyland makes some people uncomfortable. Seriously, they need to grow up. (Pic: Instagram)

It takes a lot to get me fuming.

But when a barrage of “outraged” people took aim at celebrity Hilary Duff for kissing her four-year-old son, Luca, on the lips, I fired up.

I’m not a mother but I do come from an extremely tight-knit and very affectionate family. I have two beautiful nieces and four gorgeous nephews who, might I add, I KISS ON THE LIPS.

In fact, at the age of 30, I still kiss my parents on the lips, my grandparents, my brother, my sister and even my partner’s father. It’s not as though I’m sneaking a cheeky tongue in there, I’m showing a sign of affection to some of the people I love the most in this world. What on earth is wrong with that?

The photo posted by Duff had one user commenting: “You should not kiss your son like that. There’s other ways to show love but not that one. It’s confusing for him, it’s not healthy.”

I say it’s unhealthy not to show your children that level of affection.

What message are we sending our kids if we can’t demonstrate the loving bond between two people?

A kiss is not sexual. Sure, it can be but in this instance, it’s merely a symbol of love between two people who bring joy and warmth to each other’s lives.

Duff fired back at her haters — and good on her — with a new post that read: “For anyone commenting that a kiss on the lips with my four year old is ‘inappropriate’ go ahead and click a quick unfollow with your warped minds and judgment.”

The Hilary Duff controversy comes just months after fashion designer Victoria Beckham was slammed for sharing a happy snap on social media of her sharing a kiss with her daughter Harper. Some users even branded the picture “pervy” and “lesbians.”

One person wrote: “Ew sorry I’m old fashioned it looks like they making out.”

Another added: “Why tf are you kissing your daughter on the mouth?”

Victoria Beckham shares a loving moment with her daughter, Harper. (Pic: Instagram)

I’m sorry but these people need to GROW UP.

Why was there such an uproar about kissing? I also give my nieces and nephews little backrubs, let them sit on my lap, help them get changed, bathe them and yes if they want to have a shower with me when I’m looking after them, that’s fine too. Why are all these things OK but a kiss is not. Surely, having positive physical experiences with your family, in particular a parent, can only be positive and nurturing for a child.

In an article published by News Corp Australia, Sydney-based clinical psychologist Heather Irvine-Rundle said lip-kissing children was not an inherently sexual act.

“It’s an outrageous thing to say to parents,” she said. “It absolutely does not take into account a special relationship that parents have with their children and the non-sexual nature from which that particular behaviour comes.

“It’s not sexual at all and I think the fact that it’s something we’re happy to do in public means that there’s nothing sinister about it.”

University of California psychologist Dr. Charlotte Reznick last year caused a massive debate when she said a “peck” on the lips from parents can cause confusion. Well of course the second my nieces or nephews pull away or show me they don’t want me to kiss them anymore, then I won’t but until then, I’ll take all the kisses I can get.

Olivia Noakes with her niece, Annabelle. (Pic: Supplied)

Olivia Noakes is Social Media Editor for The Daily Telegraph and a loving aunty to six gorgeous kids