All the Times Ariel Winter Shut Down Body Shamers

In case you missed it, Ms. Ariel Winter (Modern Family star, body-positive hero) reigns supreme when it comes to putting haters in their place.

Winter, 19, who’s long been a popular target for body shamers’ online attacks, is well-versed in the art of the clapback.

Throughout the years, girl has only upped her game, taking her social media presence to new heights with her occasional twitter “rant” and willingness to come to the defense of fellow stars.

Scroll down below to see all the best moments Winter took a stand.

When She Ditched the Dress Code

In early May, Winter attended a screening of the Modern Family Season 8 premiere alongside her fellow cast members. While the majority of her TV family arrived in business-casual attire (Ty Burrell even wore jeans), the former child star opted for a glittering gold minidress with exposed shoulders and a chest-area cutout revealing a fair amount of cleavage.

However, the sight of the ultra-glam Winter standing next to her casual co-stars fueled the haters.
The next day, the teen addressed the sartorial drama with a note to her critics: "Why TF does anyone care that I didn't dress casual like everyone else for the panel?" Ariel writes. "Why do I have to be like everyone else? Why can't people just let other people 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. Rant over :)"

When She Wore Short-Shorts

Over the summer, Winter was driven to defending her right to wear shorts (yes, really) after body-shamers took issue with her warm-weather look.

“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 OK for me to wear shorts,” the 19-year-old wrote. “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," Winter added. "Please leave young women alone. We’re just living our lives. It’s really troubling that we even have to deal with this stuff nowadays. Please stop criticizing everything everyone does!!!!! Rant over!”

You tell 'em, Ariel!

When It Still Wasn't Enough

Just two months after Winter’s shorts rant, the actress returned to the platform full-throttle with an in-depth follow-up.

“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," Winter began 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 continued. “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."

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."

When Her Opinion Was the Only One That Mattered

In a recent interview with LaPalme Magazine, Winter opened up about the perceived media-bias toward her and the way she dresses. "I get criticized in the press every day for the things I do. Other girls will wear the exact same things I wear, and they'll get, 'So and so looks cute in a crop-top on her day out,' and I'll get, 'Ariel bares all in a skimpy outfit, yet again,' and it will be me wearing the same thing as another person who just got praised and I got cut down," she told the publication.

But at the end of the day, the actress knows it’s all just background noise.

"The thing we all have to remember is the only person you have to please is yourself. If you feel good in an outfit, and you feel good with the way you look, then that is all that matters and you should rock it and feel happy about it," she explained.

When All She Was "Asking for" Was Respect

In 2015, then 17-year-old Winter posted a photo of herself in a bandeau bikini, posing with her two nieces (both of whom were wearing blue lifejackets). Much to her surprise, the seemingly innocent photo sparked a lot of negativity in the comments section, leading Ariel to address the slut-shaming messages with a separate post.

“Who knew that an innocent photo with my nieces would turn into this?” Winter captioned an image of a girl’s leg bearing different marker-drawn words. “The height of a girl's skirt or whatever she is wearing for that matter, does not imply what she is asking for. It sickens me to think at 17 years old, a photo of myself with my nieces is suggesting that I'm ‘asking for it.’ I typically never give power to the mean things people bravely say behind their computer screens on the Internet, but this is for the girls who are constantly bullied whether it be online or at school. 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. Celebrate you and don't let anyone's comments allow you to think less of yourself. Us girls have to stick together!!!!!!”