Ariel Winter posts a photo with her nieces. Is immediately shamed for it.

Modern Family star Ariel Winter is partial to the occasional #FlashbackFriday Instagram post. This time, her photo was a holiday snap of the 17 year old and her two nieces smiling on a boat.

Nothing out of sorts here, but that didn’t stop some people leaving some hateful remarks, telling Winter her “provocative” attire meant she was “asking for it”. Sigh.

Instead of letting the clearly unacceptable and outdated comments get her down, Winter chose to exhibit her maturity with powerful response on Instagram.

“Who knew that an innocent photo with my nieces would turn into this? 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’,” she wrote.

(Watch Meaghan Ramsey talk to Mia Freedman about the effects of low self-esteem. Post continues after video.)

“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.”

(The “controversial” bikini picture. Post continues after gallery.)

On both pictures, fans were quick to praise and support the 17 year old’s move.

While Winter has managed to put a positive spin on a disappointing experience, it’s unfortunately not her first run in with sexualised and hateful comments.

After going public about her breast reduction earlier this year, people were quick to objectify her and her choice – despite the fact that it was these kind of comments and attention that partly contributed to her decision in the first place.

“I’d have to wear the dress that was super tight and form-fitted everywhere, because if I didn’t, it didn’t look good. Every article that has to do with me on a red carpet always had to do with ‘Ariel Winter’s Crazy Cleavage!’ Or ‘Ariel Winter Shows Huge Boobs At An Event. That’s all people would recognise me by, not, ‘Oh, she does great work on Modern Family’,”  she told Glamour magazine.

“There’s so much in the media [telling people] you have to look a certain way. People feel so pressured that if they don’t look this way they’re not going to be beautiful.”

Here’s hoping Winter’s fabulous attitude goes some way to remind us that this is definitely not the case.

What do you think of Winter’s response?