The Bachelor's Abbie Chatfield claps back at bikini body-shaming comments

Though her appearance on The Bachelor Australia may be over, Abbie Chatfield has not left the spotlight. It seems the entire nation is still fascinated by her.

Following an innocent frolic on the beach, paparazzi snaps of a bikini-clad Abbie appeared in a Daily Mail online news article where the comments section turned nasty…

Abbie was not having a bar of it. Never one to stay silent on issues important to her, Abbie took to Instagram to call out the behaviour saying:

“I’ve wanted to go a week without a rant but this just never stops and if I see this behaviour and don’t call it out, I am complicit. Here are some photos that were taken of me a few weeks ago on a day at the beach. I was in new bikinis that I bloody love, I didn’t bother fake tanning the night before and I was just having a good time. I look at these photos and think ‘doll, you should have gotten the Bondi Sands out’ but it just looks like my normal body. Not going to frame these bad boys but I certainly didn’t cringe when I saw them.

I was sent a link to a Daily Mail article with these photos. Out of curiosity, I looked at the comments… Body shaming, slut-shaming, sexism. These comments don’t necessarily affect me, it sucks to read, but I remember that I am grateful for my body and all that it does for me, and I move on.

What really concerns me is that people who aren’t as comfortable in themselves as I am will read this and internalise the views of others. I’m a size 8, I am the size that is SUPPOSED to be conventionally ‘attractive’ (WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN BUT OK).”

“How are people supposed to love themselves when people in the public eye of ALL sizes are being ridiculed for having normal bodies," she continued. "I am at the end of my tether with this. STOP commenting on women’s bodies and debating whether or not we are ~allowed~ to wear bikinis. It isn’t your place. I’m a 24 year old who is healthy, happy and comfortable. Why does that irritate people?

Let me live in my exercises-four-days-a-week-but-also-loves-carbonara rig and leave me in peace. Not for my sake, but for the sake of the mental health of the general public. Also, if you see this on the Internet or hear about it in person say something. I truly believe people feel it’s okay to say these things because they see others doing it and everyone around them remaining silent. Over it.

I’ve lost sleep over this rage so I’m going to treat myself to another bikini that shows off my awful figure.”

Well said, Abbie. And, it seems her followers agree. Abbie's post has already gathered a staggering 29,904 likes and 3,665 comments - and counting.

Steph Claire Smith also recently shared some unedited bikini snaps along with some wise advice, check hers out here.

What do you think of Abbie's Instagram post? Let us know in the comments.

This article was originally published on instylemag.com.au

Main image credit: @abbiechatfield