Ariel Winter Strikes Back Against Body Shamers, Says She’s Not ‘Asking For It’

Ariel Winter isn’t keeping silent, following a series of negative comments posted to a picture she shared on Instagram, and, as the Modern Family star fights back, the internet, as well as the media, is following Winter’s battle against her haters.

Modern Family Actress Ariel Winter Never Thought Such An Innocent Photo Would Stir So Much Controversy

Winter shared a photo of herself enjoying a day at the beach with her two nieces, never even considering that the image might stir up an army of haters, eager to criticize the innocent image. While both of Ariel’s niece’s were wearing child’s bikinis, mostly covered up by life vests, the negative attention was focused primarily at Winter herself with haters of the Modern Family star body shaming Ariel.

As Winter replied to the body shaming comments on Instagram, users, referring to the spiteful comments, told Ariel that she was “asking for it” for posting the picture in the first place.

“Who knew that an innocent photo with my nieces would turn into this?” the 17-year-old Winter responded, according to E! News. “The height of a girl’s skirt or whatever she is wearing for that matter, does not imply what she is asking for.”

Ariel Winter Wages War On Body Shamers

The Modern Family actress said that she normally wouldn’t engage internet bullies, but, in this case, Ariel felt that she was acting not only for herself, but for harassed girls that may be too timid or frightened to stand up for themselves. The ordeal prompted Winter to post a second image to Instagram, this one directed solely at the body shaming bullies Ariel had encountered with her first post.

The second image was that of a woman’s legs with markings, as though dictating what is acceptable for a woman to reveal. The idea behind the second image is to ridicule the idea that a woman is “asking for it,” based on her attire and how much leg she chooses to reveal, but also to let growing girls and women know that their appearance is in no way a sign that they are looking for something or deserving of harassment.

“You are not asking for anything because of what you are wearing – you are expressing yourself and don’t you ever think you deserve the negativity as the consequence to what you are wearing – YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL,” Winter wrote, reports People. “Celebrate you and don’t let anyone’s comments allow you to think less of yourself. Us girls have to stick together!!!!!!”

Earlier in the month, Ariel Winter was again faced with body shaming from haters, but the Modern Family quickly learned that she wasn’t alone, when Ariana Grande jumped to her defense.

The comment that caused Grande and Winter to team up was actually intended to divide them, as it offered a choice of which celebrity was the most attractive.

“Got asked if I’d prefer @arielwinter1 or @ArianaGrande lol, it wud definitely be @arielwinter1 curves are sexy sticks aren’t,” posted the anonymous source.

Grande responded by posting to Winter’s Instagram account, telling the Modern Family actress that she was beautiful and that she should celebrate herself, to which Ariel expressed her own gratitude.

“Thank you @arianagrande for posting this Instagram,” Ariel Winter commented. “I especially believe in today’s world we all need to stick together- I believe in EMPOWERING other women and not putting them down. I celebrate everyone for who they are because that is what makes them beautiful. You ARE beautiful.”

Winter also expressed that she has been deeply affected by the vast collective of internet bullies, commenting that she could post an image of herself that portrayed her looking her best and her haters would still comment that she looked fat and ugly.

Modern Family airs Wednesdays on ABC.

[Image by Joshua Blanchard / Getty Images]