Mum’s ‘perfect’ response to Michael Leunig cartoon

A mum has clapped back at the controversial Michael Leunig cartoon, earning praise from other mums — including Carrie Bickmore.

An Australian mother has clapped back at the “condescending” cartoon drawn by Michael Leunig last week in the most perfect way.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers copped fierce criticism last week when it published the cartoon showing a woman pushing a pram while looking at her mobile phone, oblivious to the fact her baby was lying on the ground.

Now, Perth mum Paula Kuka has addressed the outrage experienced by many mums with a cartoon of her own that shows the reality of what mums have to do on a daily basis when looking after their child.

The image, which was posted on her Instagram account common_wild, shows to images, one entitled “what you saw” the other entitled “what I did”.

Under the “what you saw” is Paula’s take on Leunig’s cartoon, which shows a mum pushing her baby in a pram while glancing at her phone.

However in the “what I did” section, that same mother is depicted in a number of ways, showing her playing with her kids, reading to them, running after them, soothing them, cooking and doing the groceries. The list goes on.

“I spent yesterday feeling a little angry and powerless about a particular cartoon by a well-known Australian cartoonist,” Paula captioned her drawing.

“Today I realised I might be angry, but I’m not powerless. This is my response.”

It has really struck a chord among mums, many of whom are sharing the striking image, with celebrity mum Carrie Bickmore them.

“Thanks for sharing this @common_wild. Love it,” Carrie wrote to her 670,000 fans.

“He’s an out of touch misogynistic boomer with zero idea about what mothers actually do. This is the perfect response,” another said.

While one mum wrote: “OMG!!! I love this!!!”

“Tip of the iceberg of what parenting entails, the two minutes you check your phone because your child is in the pram and you can finally reply to a message you received 4 hours ago one handed whilst running another errand …” one woman commented.

“This is better than any words,” another added.

Leunig’s generation’s parents would routinely leave their kids in the car while they went into a pub for a few beers before driving home drunk. pic.twitter.com/gGsP9YVZum

— Toby G(uts and gore) (@Epigrammist) October 23, 2019

Leunig’s cartoon caused outrage online last Wednesday with many describing it as “condescending” and judgmental of mothers.

Attached to the drawing was a poem that read:

Mummy was busy on Instagram

When beautiful bubby fell out of the pram

And lay on the path unseen and alone

Wishing that he was loved like a phone.

The cartoon attracted major criticism and anger on social media, with some describing it as “sad” and an example of “trite egoism and male frailty rolled into one”.

Feminist writer Clementine Ford slammed Leunig as a “f***ing gronk” on Twitter.

“I bet you never spent hours walking babies around in a pram, feeling isolated and alone and terrified,” she wrote. “F*** you and your condescending judgement.”

Another Twitter user commented: “Young parents have enough anxiety without this boomer bull***t.”

Some also retailated with their own poems.

Love this piss-take of #Leunig the misogynist. https://t.co/8dUNwvUreu

— 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭 (@RonniSalt) October 23, 2019

Getting back to Leunig briefly...

The problem isn't that he's just wrong. Being wrong is an acceptable part of thinking. We all do it.

It's being wrong a) about someone's parenting; and b) doing so with an air of superiority.

— Damon Young (@damonayoung) October 23, 2019

One more thing... I have seen a number of mothers talk about how the Leunig cartoon really upset them as they struggle with young babies. It isn't harmless. It is hurting vulnerable people, and Fairfax should be ashamed of publishing it.

— Erin Riley (@erinrileyau) October 23, 2019

The backlash against Leunig is essentially a backlash against the policing of women’s lives

— Asher Wolf (@Asher_Wolf) October 23, 2019

It’s not the first time Leunig has attracted criticism. In 2015, he sparked outrage with a cartoon comparing the Victorian government to fascists, following a proposal to ban children who are not vaccinated from childcare centres.

But others backed the cartoonist, suggesting people were only angry because the truth hurt.

I've watched people walk into parking metres, buildings, walk in front of cars etc etc. I've had prams jammed into the back of my legs because someone was playing with their phone. So if this #Leunig cartoon offends you, tough, reality & the truth often hurts.@DailyLeunig pic.twitter.com/qjYPWUM4go

— VanMan (@T5VanMan) October 23, 2019

...and here we go again with the false outrage. "Oh no! A comic with a grain of truth! #Woke-lings assemble!"#Millennials, if you took better care of your kids - #Leunig wouldn't have to immortalize you. Maybe you could ask #ExtinctionRebellion for some glue?#auspol #politics https://t.co/Ng3mRyZEO5

— Alexandra Marshall (@ellymelly) October 23, 2019

Hating on #Leunig is ridiculous. Just because it doesn’t fit your narrative why band together with hateful twitter comments? Bullying mob of hypocrites. Bigger fish to fry.

— 💧rabble rouser (@mrl58) October 23, 2019

Well done #Leunig.
Cartoon is accurate.
If you take offence, you probably are the problem this cartoon is depicting.

If you haven’t seen this phone obsession with mum’s in real life then you’ve obviously got a phone obsession. 😂😉@RitaPanahi @RealMarkLatham @rowandean

— DownUnder 🇦🇺 (@KeepAustralia1) October 23, 2019

Was the cartoon out of line? Or was there truth to it? Comment below | @RebekahScanlan | [e-mail]