Sarah Hyland, perhaps best known for her role on the sitcom Modern Family, often uses her Instagram to post messages of positivity. She has even shared her advice on self-confidence with her younger co-star on Modern Family, Ariel Winter, as she explained in an interview with PEOPLE last year:
“It’s about being confident in your self, and not letting people’s hateful words get to you. Just surround yourself with positivity and not let the negativity get to you.”
“I like to think we — me, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara — helped her be confident with her body and herself. I mean, she was 11 years old when I met her. I was 18. I tried to be a good role model for her, and a true older sister for her because she’s such a sweet little girl.”
The 27-year-old actor has also shared similar messages about empowerment and self-love through makeup-free selfies and jumped to the defence of Ariel Winter after some abusive comments on Instagram. When it comes to body-shamers targeting her, she's had witty retorts in the past - like how she responded when commenters told her to "eat some bread".
Last week, she found herself in a similar situation, after she posted a photo for #feelinmyselffriday. "Thought I came up with a cool new hashtag... turns out I'm wrong. ALSO," she wrote in the caption. "Turns out I'm not the first person to take a selfie in the bathroom... weird."
The selfie shot of her in a bikini was accompanied by the hashtag "#showyourscars," as she proudly displays a surgical scar from a kidney transplant she received in 2012.
However, many commenters focused instead on her weight, calling her "sickly skinny," while another wrote, "Eat something u look like u haven't ate in years". Another told Hyland’s boyfriend, Bachelorette alum Wells Adams, that he was “dating a stick.”
Hyland had tagged the brand of her bikini, Inamorata Swim, in her post. The bathing suit line was launched by none other than Emily Ratajkowski, who quickly leapt to Hyland's defence in the comments. “You look amazing. Fuck em (& you kill it in @inamaorata swim every time!)” the model commented.
Hyland's boyfriend, Wells Adams, also defended her. When one user commented, "eat a doughnut," The Bachelor in Paradise alum told them to "eat shit."
Many of Hyland's fans also defended her, with supportive comments about Hyland's health and body. One commenter wrote:
"Do you know it's just as rude to tell someone they are too skinny as it is to say they are overweight? She had many health issues and I'm sure is just thankful to be alive so she's beautiful. Let her be @sarahhyland"
Regardless of what you think of Hyland's health in this situation, it is rude to speak about someone like this, even if they are a celebrity. After all, if you wouldn't do the same to a complete stranger in the middle of the street, why do it with someone you don't know on Instagram?
