Entertainment

11 times Ariel Winter stood up to slut-shamers like a boss

EntertainmentPublished Jul 28, 2017
By Maria Fischer
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"Modern Family" actress Ariel Winter is only 19 years old, but she's already a pro at flawlessly shutting down sexist, slut-shaming BS.

Ariel Winter
Getty

After growing up in the spotlight, Winter quickly learned that she has zero tolerance for ignorant trolls. ("I am not that type of person to sit and watch that happen,” she previously said in an interview with “TheTalk.”)

A woman's right to do and wear what she wants is something that Winter defends fiercely and fearlessly, as evidenced below. Here are 11 times she stood up against slut-shamers (and inspired us to do the same):

Ariel Winter slut shamers Modern Family sexy dress-placeholder
Ariel Winter slut shamers Modern Family sexy dress
Splash News

1. When she unapologetically wore a sexy dress to a "Modern Family" panel.

In May, Winter decided to wear a daring dress to a "Modern Family" screening — and she was immediately met with an intense bout of slut-shaming for her sexy choice.

Twitter trolls and major publications alike mocked Winter for her gold mini-dress. ("Ariel Winter didn't get the dress code memo," Page Six shadily tweeted, tagging the actress.)

Ariel Winter-placeholder
Ariel Winter
Twitter

But Winter refused to let the haters break her spirit.

Ariel Winter-placeholder
Ariel Winter
Twitter

"Actually I did," Winter snapped at Page Six after it published its cruel tweet. "I just made a choice to wear what I wanted and feel bomb af."

She then turned her attention to the rest of her trolls.

Ariel Winter clap back sexy dress Modern Family panel-placeholder
Ariel Winter clap back sexy dress Modern Family panel
Instagram/@arielwinter

“Why TF does anyone care that I didn’t dress casual like everyone else for the panel?" Winter wrote, sharing a screenshot of her message on Instagram. "Why do I have to be like everyone else? Why can’t people just let other feel good about themselves and do what they want? WEAR WHATEVER YOU WANT PEOPLE! As long as you feel good about yourself, that's what matters. I know I did. Don't ever let anyone stifle who you are and how you express yourself."

Ariel Winter shorts-placeholder
Ariel Winter shorts
Splash News

2. When she was called a "whore" for wearing short-shorts and mercilessly clapped back.

Ariel Winter lives in short-shorts — but haters can't handle seeing a young, confident teen like Winter feel good in her go-to summer look. 

Sexist trolls felt compelled to slut-shame Winter for wearing her shorts, but luckily Winter is an expert at dealing with their ignorance. She first took to Twitter to call out her haters for their ridiculous obsession with her shorts...

Ariel Winter shorts tweet-placeholder
Ariel Winter shorts tweet
Twitter

... but when a curt "Yes people, I live in shorts. Who cares?" tweet didn't work, she uploaded a full-blown rant that slammed anyone who thinks it's OK to call her a "whore" for trying to "squeeze" into standard summertime attire.

Ariel Winter Twitter rant short-shorts-placeholder
Ariel Winter Twitter rant short-shorts
Twitter

"Pretty annoyed about the focus on the fact that I wear shorts, and the commentary that I'm 'squeezing' into them or the idea that it's not okay for me to wear shorts," Winter began. "It's SUMMER. Get over it. It's hot, I'm obviously going to wear minimal clothes."

"I'm not going to suffer in a turtleneck to please anyone. I'm not a whore because I wear shorts and tank tops."

"I'm a normal girl," she continued. "Also, I'm not 'squeezing' into anything. My shorts fit me and everything I'm doing is just fine. Please leave young women alone. We're just living our lives. It's really troubling that we even have to deal with this kind of stuff nowadays. Please stop criticizing everything everyone does!"

Ariel Winter boyfriend-placeholder
Ariel Winter boyfriend
Instagram/@arielwinter

3. When she epically called out the paparazzi for taking photos used to slut-shame her.

Winter isn't oblivious to the paparazzi's sneaky tactics. She knows most photographers aim to capture her at unflattering angles so trolls can use the photos to mock her "revealing" clothing and "inappropriate" appearance. 

After the paparazzi went out of their way to catch Winter leaving the supermarket with her "much-older boyfriend," Levi Meaden, she decided to put the paps on blast.

Ariel Winter-placeholder
Ariel Winter
Instagram/@arielwinter

"What headline are you getting with this?" Winter demanded, slamming the paparazzi on Instagram. "Over and over! 'Ariel in SLUTTY SHORTS & live-in lover Levi.' Like OK, can we just live and not be followed?" 

"Take pics on red carpets where we sign up for that, not when we're just trying to grocery shop for fucks sake," she added.

(Bella Thorne, another young celebrity who is frequently slut-shamed for her appearance, showed her support in Winter's comments.)

Ariel WInter Ariana Grande-placeholder
Ariel WInter Ariana Grande
Instagram/@arielwinter

4. When she refused to be pitted against other female celebrities.

When a jerk decided to compliment Winter's body at the expense of singer Ariana Grande, Winter quickly reposted Grande's statement that called out the sexist comparison.

"Tweets, comments, statements like this are not okay about anyone," Grande wrote in a message that she uploaded onto Instagram. "We live in a day and age where people make it IMPOSSIBLE for women, men, anyone to embrace themselves exactly how they are."

"Diversity is sexy! Loving yourself is sexy! You know what is NOT sexy? Misogyny, objectifying, labeling, comparing, and body-shaming. Talking about people's body's [sic] as if they're on display asking for your approval/opinion."

Ariel Winter Ariana Grande-placeholder
Ariel Winter Ariana Grande
Instagram/@arielwinter

"Thank you Ariana Grande for posting this," Winter added. "I love the message you're putting out there."

"I believe in EMPOWERING other women and not putting them down."

Ariel Winter Nash Grier-placeholder
Ariel Winter Nash Grier
Instagram/@arielwinter

5. When she called out a male Vine star for viciously mocking women.

In 2013, Vine star Nash Grier uploaded a video onto YouTube to instruct women about what men find "attractive." He bashed women with body hair and showed his disgust over female "peach fuzz."

His unwarranted commentary did not sit well with Winter.

"You made a completely misogynistic video telling all young women what we have to do to get your attention," Winter called Grier out in a scathing Instagram post. "In a time when women are fighting for beauty to not be defined by anyone, especially a man, you, a member of my generation, proved your ignorance."

6. When she defended Kim Kardashian's decision to post a nude selfie on social media.

Last year, Kim Kardashian caused an internet uproar after she posted a nude photo (with two strategically placed black bars) onto social media.

Kim Kardashian nude selfies-placeholder
Kim Kardashian nude selfies
Instagram

Many people criticized Kardashian for exposing her body to the world, blasting her for being a "slutty mom" who "failed to think about her children" when she made the decision to celebrate her figure.

But Winter publicly supported Kardashian's choice to do whatever TF she wants with her own body.

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Ariel Winter Kim Kardashian nude selfies
Twitter

"I think everyone, men and women, should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies — and not be criticized," Winter noted.

Ariel Winter Chloe Grace Moretz-placeholder
Ariel Winter Chloe Grace Moretz
Instagram/@arielwinter

7. When she slammed Chloë Grace Moretz for slut-shaming Kim Kardashian.

Winter's support for Kardashian's nude selfie didn't end with a simple tweet. 

When Winter caught word that actress Chloë Grace Moretz had bashed Kardashian's "inappropriate" photo, Winter issued a classy statement to explain why Moretz was wrong.

"If you take a photo in which you feel CONFIDENT about yourself and think it spreads a positive image, then GO FOR IT," Winter insisted. 

"No picture is the exception to someone else's rule."

Ariel WInter-placeholder
Ariel WInter
Instagram/@arielwinter

8. When she stood up to bullies for her #SpeakBeautiful campaign with Dove.

In October, Winter joined Dove to promote the #SpeakBeautiful campaign, which aims to shut down slut-shaming, body-shaming, and other incredibly damaging talk. 

"To those who attack me with body-shaming comments, your words are a reflection of what’s inside you, not me. #SpeakBeautiful," the actress wrote on Instagram. "The bullies I encounter online give me the chance to reaffirm to myself, and [to] you guys, the importance of self-acceptance. I want to help girls realize that words and other people cannot define your beauty; that’s why I’m partnering with the @Dove Self-Esteem Project."

"It has a huge impact on girls’ confidence," Winter continued, adding the hashtags #EmbraceYourCurves, #EffYourBeautyStandards, and #BodyPositive. "Let’s transform social media into a place where girls feel supported and empowered. Isn’t it time we stopped this negativity?"

9. When she publicly condemned her own mother for putting down her lifestyle.

Winter finalized her emancipation from her mother, Chrisoula Workman, in 2015. But that has't stopped Winter's mother from bashing her for "exposing" her body.

"She needs to grow up," Workman told In Touch Weekly. "I would tell her to dress properly, be the beautiful person she is. I feel sad that she feels the need to expose herself when it's not necessary."

Ariel Winter mom fight-placeholder
Ariel Winter mom fight
Instagram/@arielwinter

Winter took issue with her mother's criticism. Her mother's plea to "dress properly" gives into a sexist double standard — and especially given their strained relationship, it's not Workman's place to tell Winter what or what not to wear.

Ariel Winter relationship with Mom-placeholder
Ariel Winter relationship with Mom
Twitter

"What's sad is that you lie consistently," Winter retorted with a tweet. "Also, why is it that you only choose to talk to me through the press? I'm doing just fine. Toxic."

Ariel Winter slut shamers-placeholder
Ariel Winter slut shamers
Instagram/@arielwinter

10. When she reminded women that they're allowed to wear WHATEVER length of skirt, no judgement.

On Instagram, Winter shared this graphic that illustrates the often-ignored fact that skirt length does *not* correlate with how "sexually available" a person is. She added the hashtag #yourbodyisYOURS to further emphasize the point.

Ariel Winter slut shamers pink graduation dress-placeholder
Ariel Winter slut shamers pink graduation dress
Instagram/@arielwinter

11. When she showed a little underboob at her high school graduation party and gave zero fucks.

When Winter graduated from high school last May, she celebrated by wearing what she wanted: a peach-colored bodycon dress with underboob cutouts. 

Unsurprisingly, shocked fans had a lot to say about her outfit choice, calling her dress "skanky" and "tasteless." But she brushed off the slut-shaming comments.

"Oh my God, I got so much flak for this dress for my graduation," Winter recalled to People. "I had a great time at my graduation party and everyone at my party loved my dress, so, 'Whatever hater!' Who doesn't love a little underboob?"

"If you like your underboob, show your underboob," she added.

(Thanks to Winter, we maaay have just found our new favorite motto.)

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