Ariel Winter talks about bodyshaming and shows press what's important

We couldn't agree more

Modern Family’s Ariel Winter is no stranger to body shaming. Growing up in the public eye, she’s been criticised for everything from her breast reduction surgery to her red carpet outfits, and now she’s started talking back.

In an inspiring interview with Refinery29, she championed body positivity and talked about her own insecurities, but it seems like a lot of people seemed to be missing the point.

In a couple of paragraphs, Ariel brought up Donald Trump’s oppression of women, saying: 'Thanks to Donald Trump, we’re being objectified and made to feel bad about ourselves’.

She also as criticised the media frenzy surrounding the age difference between herself and her 29-year-old boyfriend Levi Meaden. Ironically, it seems like she’s fallen prey to the same media cycle who latched onto those tidbits and she spoke out against it in an Instagram post.

She wrote, ‘Y'all I love you but PLEASE pay attention and post my REAL point from my @refinery29 interview!!! Not that I'm "defending living with my 29 year old boyfriend" or that I'm "firing back at Trump" because first of all I don't need to defend anything I'm super happy and in love, and I'm not firing at anyone just sharing an opinion after being ASKED!’

‘The point was to take back the beach and help people understand that the beach should be a safe space to go as you please and feel good about yourself no matter what...Body positivity is important- not that I live with my boyfriend. Press- please read the article and take it for what it is- not what will give you more readers!’

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Ariel has also recently come under fire for an Instagram gallery she published on Memorial Day, displaying the Modern Family actress on the beach wearing a bikini and captioned 'Happy #MemorialDay'. While many disputed the insensitivity of the post on a day meant to celebrate American soldiers and their contributions, the text post she posted on the same day honouring the men and women of the military was glossed over quickly.

Ariel has long been a supporter of body positivity and she teamed up with Dove last year to join their #SpeakBeautiful campaign, an effort to end online bullying and promote body confidence. In the Refinery29 interview, she opened up about how she used to have ‘full-scale meltdowns in bathing suit shops’ but overcame them to become the person she is today.

Ariel also reaffirmed her self-love, saying. ‘It’s hard to be positive about your body all the time. I know because I’m honest about my insecurities that people think I’m 100% positive about my body all the time, but I’m not. I get really uncomfortable, too. But I just remind myself that this is the body I was given. This is who I am.’

If you leave this article remembering just one thing, hopefully it's that.

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.