“It was a decision I made so they could learn from an early age to use their voice and exercise their rights to stand up for something that’s so important.”
Amanda Stanton has defended taking her daughters to a protest over the death of George Floyd after catching some criticism online.
On Tuesday, “The Bachelor” alum shared a photo of herself and her 6-year-old daughter, Charlie, holding up “Black Lives Matter” signs at a protest in Newport Beach, California.
Stanton, 30, — who also shares 8-year-old daughter, Kinsley, with ex-husband Nick Buonfiglio — was hit with backlash for bringing her young children to the demonstration, including one critic who claimed she did it “just for fame.”
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
In response, the OC native went to the comments section, defending her decision to take her daughters to the protest.
When a person commented, “I can’t believe you put your girls in an uncompromising situation and instill fear in their hearts just for fame. Shame on you!!” Stanton said Carlie “was not scared” and that the protest was “very peaceful.”
“She was proud to make her sign and be there,” she added. “And I’m happy she got to experience the emotion and passion in everyone there.”
Stanton went on to discuss the situation further on her Instagram Story, saying she received “a lot of questions” about her decision.
The reality star explained that before she attended the protest, she reached out to a friend for advice and tips on how to keep her kids safe. After she shared the tips, Stanton continued to defend her stance in more posts on her Instagram Story, below.
“I understand not everyone is comfortable protesting or bringing kids and I totally understand that!” Stanton wrote. “I went back and forth on it and it was a decision I made so they could learn from an early age to use their voice and exercise their rights to stand up for something that’s so important.”
“It was peaceful and powerful,” she continued. “I didn’t expect to get emotional as I did. No books or words can ever teach them the passion and emotion behind what they experienced firsthand today. I hope it encourages them to be braver than I was growing up when it comes to using their voice and taking action.”
“And if you’re not comfortable taking your kids, I think showing them videos of these protests is a great way to educate them!” Stanton concluded. “The next generation HAS to be better than us.”
Despite some backlash, many of Stanton’s fans shared their support in the comments section, including one fan who came to Stanton’s defense against a critic.
“While I support the protesters for justice for this senseless murder. I can’t wrap my head around bringing children. I have five daughters and I would never bring them to something known for violence at anytime,” wrote a critic.
“That is the best time to start teaching our children to not hate others,” a fan replied to the user. “And that is your choice. This protest in Newport was not meant for violence.”
The ABC star thanked the follower for her support, writing, “Thank you! We can never control the actions of others but we drove by and observed before and it was peaceful and our time there was as well. We never felt unsafe for a second.”
Stanton’s social media posts came just a few weeks after she reacted to backlash for driving from California to Arizona to get her haircut during quarantine.
Got a story or tip for us? Email TooFab editors at [email protected].
