At 30 years old and pregnant with her second child, Steph decided to address the negative feedback head-on. She opened up about the societal expectations placed on mothers, particularly regarding their appearance and behavior.
Her response highlighted the pressure on women to conform to outdated and rigid standards, especially after becoming mothers.
The video, which has garnered over 1.2 million views, sparked mixed reactions online. While some praised her confidence, others were quick to criticize her outfit choice. One viewer commented, “Sorry, what was this video about?”, reflecting the divided opinions.
Steph Claire Smith faces criticism for her family poolside video
A fan admired the stunning view, writing, “10/10 view.”
Another commenter playfully suggested, “Can you rescue more stuff from the pool.”
“Naur have some self-respect,” another viewer remarked, expressing a more critical tone.
One observer shared their thoughts, stating, “What a view.”
Another person praised her parenting, saying, “You are the best mum.”
Steph later responded to the comments during an interview with News.com.au, where she addressed the backlash by acknowledging, “When I watched it back, sure, I noticed my bum was a little on show.”
She posted a TikTok video of herself in a bikini while retrieving her son’s goggles from a pool
“But as someone who started out as a lingerie and bikini model, and who has posted her body online for 13 years now, I didn’t really think twice about it nor did I think it would get some of the backlash that it has.”
She explained that while she chose to ignore inappropriate comments from men, what frustrated her most were the remarks from all genders about her outfit being “inappropriate around a child.”
Steph concluded by emphasizing, “I accept people have the right to their own opinion, but it doesn’t mean that opinions always need to be shared.”, calling for more constructive dialogue rather than unnecessary judgment.
She opened up in a follow-up TikTok video, defending the moment captured with her son, which she described as a “cute” scene by the pool.
She further clarified her intentions, saying, “Yes, I’m in a bikini, yes, you can see my butt for a lot of the video because the video was from behind.”
After some people said her swimwear was inappropriate, the 30-year-old, who is pregnant with her second child, addressed the backlash
“Was I aware that my butt was gonna be on show? Yeah I set up the camera, but it wasn’t like ‘Oh I’m gonna set it up on this angle so that my butt is at this perfect angle,’ and like always on, it wasn’t like that.”
Reflecting on the backlash, she added, “I’ve set it up cause I knew I was about to jump in and knew there was likely to be some sort of conversation about his goggles, and I thought it was gonna be cute.”
The influencer shed light on the societal pressures mothers often face, criticizing the outdated notions of “appropriateness,”.
She urged others to focus on empowerment rather than judgment.
As someone who has worked as a model, often showcasing lingerie and swimwear, Steph expressed her commitment to embracing confidence and self-assurance despite the opinions of others.
In a later TikTok video, Steph proudly displayed her growing baby bump while enjoying herself in a playful bikini dance.
Steph highlights the need for mothers to break free from societal expectations
In the clip, Steph danced to Lily Allen’s empowering track, “F*** You,” adding a touch of humor and confidence to her message. She captioned the video with the bold statement, “Mums Should Cover Up.”
Speaking to News.com.au, Steph explained, “I’ve spoken to so many mums about this… With the change in your lifestyle and your body at times, it’s easy to lose touch with your past self,”, reflecting on the challenges mothers face in maintaining a sense of identity.
She confidently declared, “So I refuse to let that rule of ‘having to cover up now because I’m a mum’ dictate what I wear and how I feel in it anymore.”, reaffirming her decision to embrace her identity and confidence as a mother and woman.
Steph uses her platform to inspire confidence and authenticity
Steph recently shared another personal story, revealing that she faced a backlash after disclosing her ADHD diagnosis on Instagram.
According to reports by The Daily Mail, the announcement led to a “massive spike” in followers, highlighting the stigma still surrounding the condition.
She added, “People think it is this trend and they’re sick of hearing about it so I was very aware of that and it was one of the things that made me very nervous about sharing it.”, acknowledging the challenges of navigating the public’s perception of ADHD.
The condition, which often manifests in impulsiveness, restlessness, and difficulty focusing, remains widely misunderstood, further emphasizing the importance of sharing personal experiences to foster better understanding and acceptance.
Steph’s initial TikTok video with her son continued to draw divided comments
