This photograph of a father holding his son in the shower has been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook in the last fortnight. But over the same period it's also also been taken down by the social media platform more than once before ultimately being reinstated each time. Why?
In some ways the picture appears to show a fairly everyday scene. A dad cradling his severely sick child in his arms. Except in this instance, they are in the shower and both naked. The picture was posted on social media by the photographer Heather Whitten who lives in Arizona in the US. It shows her son Fox and her husband, the boy's father Thomas Whitten.
For many viewers the image is a touching portrait of parental care and affection. The reason that father and son were naked was because Fox had Salmonella poisoning for which he would soon after be hospitalised.
"Thomas had spent hours in the shower with him, trying to keep his fever down and letting the vomit and diarrhea rinse off of them both as it came," Whitten wrote in her post accompanying the photo.
"He was so patient and so loving and so strong with our tiny son in his lap... I stepped out and grabbed my camera and came back to snap a few images of it and, of course shared them."
But for some people the image is inappropriate at best and at worst has undertones of paedophilia. Whitten has been surprised by this reaction and was shocked when people posted negative comments about what was for her a beautiful moment.
"There is nothing sexual or exploitative about this image," she wrote in the initial post. "I was taken aback by how many people missed the story or didn't even look past the nudity to find the story."

Nobody is saying anything.
Doesn't anyone have an opinion as to whether in support or against it?

Everything in life has perspectives. What one sees from ome corner may differ from another corner. By default and without all the explanations accompanying the photo, objectively I think the photograph portrays paedophilia.

nothing wrong here, even if that was his daughter.... until that child reaches a certain age, this is fully acceptable IMHO.

I see absolutely nothing wrong here.

People are so subjective, society permits mothers to handle the children both male and female.

But when it comes to the fathers there's prejudice against them becoming too physically attached to the kids.

So fathers are not allowed to display parental love and care according to some people in society today.

Fathers out there and would-be fathers will you allow society dictate to you how to cater for your children as regards physical connection and affection?

Nonsense.nothing wrong with the pix.if you think something is wrong with the pix,then a woman shouldnt bath her male child..mtchww.

Some people are just stüpid!

So a father can't cradle his son again?

Idiots!

freecocoa:
I see absolutely nothing wrong here.

how are u?