'It sickens me': Ariel Winter fires back at body shamers over bikini picture

Have something you want to say about Ariel Winter's body? Then get ready for the 17-year-old "Modern Family" actress to strike back, hard.

The controversy erupted Friday when Winter posted a photo to Instagram of herself wearing a bikini, grinning along with her two young nieces:

Among the ensuing comments that followed (many of which were the equivalent of a thumbs-up), Winter received a barrage of negative thoughts, including some people who apparently thought that by wearing a bathing suit she was "asking for it."

Winter did not let that stand, and posted a second photo of a woman with her leg marked up, indicating what a skirt length might imply about her to some people (up high is "whore," down low is "prudish").

And in the caption to that picture, she took those who left judging comments to task:

"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.

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"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," she continued. "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!!!!!!"

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Fans have responded. On the original post, one wrote, "Currently deployed to Iraq, this is the kind of stuff I hate seeing. I'm just 2 years older than@arielwinter, and I'm over here doing this. I think she has the right to wear what she wants. It looks like you had a good time with your nieces!"

And on the second post, another wrote, "You are beautiful inside and out & such a wonderful role model for girls all over the world!!"