Ariel Winter's Powerful Message To Those Who Slut Shame
Ariel Winter is a talented actress, staunch feminist and - as far as we can tell - a kind, down to earth woman. So it's kind of hard to understand why the young star has been the target of online abuse by way of body shaming and slut shaming over the past few years.
Everything from her relationship with Levi Meaden, to her decision to undergo a breast reduction, to her ~scandalous shorts~ in the height of Summer, has been targeted by trolls and tabloids alike.
In July, after being shamed for "squeezing" into shorts (a ridiculous notion), the actress took a stand with a small rant on social media:
Now, she's expanded her points in a full-blown pointed rant following backlash from a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
In her interview with THR, Ariel made one remark about her mother - from whom she was legally emancipated in 2015 - and the way that she was dressed as a child actor. This led to a bevy of bullies attacking the star for seeking attention with her outfits and her comments, with trolls using some disturbing name-calling in the process.
“Something I wish people would realize … I am not TRYING to be featured on Snapchat, I am not trying to be pap'd everywhere I go, I am literally just LIVING and, unfortunately, I can't do that without paparazzi following me around every day," Ariel wrote in her statement posted to Instagram. "I'm not trying to show you my ass in shorts when I go to the grocery store. I'm trying to live my life. People wear shorts. People have wardrobe malfunctions. No one is perfect."
"I'm not a stylist!” she said. “I don't know what to wear every day so I look 'appropriate' or 'fashionable.' Also, screw having to always look appropriate or fashionable. For what? Society? Who gets to decide what is appropriate or fashionable???? I wear what I like and no one should fault me for that. I don't want people to constantly see me in the news for going to dinner, or grocery shopping, or anything. I want to be in the news when I ASK for it by going to a publicized event, or EVEN BETTER when I have work out/coming out! So trust me, I don't want to see me in shorts putting water in my car every single damn day as much as you don't."
"I'd also like to address the tweets I get saying 'you accused your mother of sexualizing you yet you're a whore.' I was a CHILD being dressed like I was 24. I was 8-13 years old. I wasn't an ADULT as I am now. As you mature at 16, 17, 18 you further develop your own identity and can make decisions for yourself. As a child, you do as you're told regardless of what is good for you. I'm an ADULT now, who can make my own choices and have my own identity," she wrote.
"And just because I DECIDE to show my body occasionally doesn't mean I'm unintelligent or that I'm talentless or that I have no self-respect. I have EXTREME respect for myself, I HAVE talent, and I AM intelligent. We need to move on from this stigma that women who are comfortable with their bodies and their sexuality are just 'dumb sluts.' I also just want to say how disappointed I am that out of everything in the THR article, THAT'S all anyone picked up. How disappointing. Do whatever you want people, just strive to please YOURSELF and NO ONE ELSE. Anyways, rant over."
Ariel, you're doing amazing sweetie.
