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Author, fitness model and nutritionist Sophie Guidolin has called out trolls who labelled a bikini snap with her teen son as ‘inappropriate’.

The 32-year-old mum of four marked her son Kai’s 15th birthday by sharing a series of photos on Instagram, including a sweet snap of the pair cuddling.

Sophie Guidolin

But the image drew negative comments, claiming it was ‘sexualised’. It prompted the founder of online fitness and health program The Bod, to post a response.

“WE LIVE IN THE GOLD COAST, Australia. Where wearing a bikini to the beach is so beyond normal, that I didn’t even consider having to place a disclaimer on this photo,” she wrote.

“When Kai woke up, I was in the pool and yes – in a bikini (as I am most days!!!) I wanted a photo straight away as he wanted to ride his bike and go out riding all day immediately. Do I have a problem wearing a bikini in front of my sons? NO WAY. Why? Because I’m not sexualised to him, nor have I ever been!!! If you have an issue, maybe you should look into why you feel you have to sexualise a woman’s body instead of it simply being a mum and her son at the pool!!!”

Sophie Guidolin

The post continued to attract negative comments, including this one: “I think it’s more the sexy posing than the swimwear that feels off. I also don’t believe that he’s totally comfortable with it either. His body language looks quite tense and uncomfortable to me.”

‘It’s so dumb’

It prompted Sophie, who also has six-year-old twins and a 14-year-old, to include her son Kai in a response.

“There’s been so much hype. I don’t need to speak on Kai’s behalf,” she said in a video.”I just said to him before, ‘It’s blown up. And he’s like, ‘What’s blown up?’ And I’m like, ‘The photo of you and I for your birthday. And he’s like, ‘Why?'”

 

 

 

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A post shared by SOPHIE GUIDOLIN IFBB PRO (@sophie_guidolin)

Kai said he still ‘doesn’t get what’s wrong’ with the photo. “There’s nothing wrong with the picture,” he said. “You’re in a bikini 24/7. It’s so dumb. There’s no reason for this happening.”

Sophie says there’s a lesson for all parents in the way we see images of parents and their children.

“I think the key thing here is, I would like to normalise the narrative of our bodies being simply that. And it not being sexualised. There is nothing sexualised about that photo. I would often hug him, snuggle him in bed.

“I’m very close to the boys. I don’t see anything wrong with that and I would really like to use this as a positive to perhaps open up the conversation in your homes as well in relation to how that narrative works for you and your kids.

“If this was a dad, wearing boardies with no shirt on with his daughter, would this be an issue?”

  • Its more the sexy pose. He looks uncomfortable and the photo is all about Mum and not about him at all. She is the attention hog.

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  • I’m not sure about this? Seems a bit strange, but was it done for the clicks and attention?

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  • I don’t know…have mix feelings about it but I wish my body looks like that ????

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  • It only matters if they care. Not the public

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  • If he’s happy to be taking a photo with his mum at that age. They clearly have a great relationship!

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  • Each to their own but yeah she is so defensive considering she says this is normal for the family.

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  • The look on her son’s face to me is more like he wants to get out and ride his bike not that he doesn’t want to be seen in a photo with his Mum in a bikini. As long as he’s happy I think that’s what matters here. If he didn’t want to be in a photo he could have just walked away.

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  • She has a fantastic body and if her son is happy having a photo with his mum in her normal garb then I see no harm in it. Most teenagers wouldn’t be seen dead in a photo with their mum no matter what she was wearing.

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  • I’m honestly surprised that he isn’t embarrassed to have a photo taken with his Mum,….just because he is a teenager.

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  • I personally see nothing wrong at all with this photo. I’m sure her son has seen his mum in a bikini or even her underwear before. Why does everyone need to sexualise everything? She took a photo with her son that’s all.

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  • I personally would not take a photo like that but each to their own

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  • The pose looks odd for a mother and son as a quick happy snap.

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  • Yeah, the way she’s posing is sexualised. Also, her bikini is extremely skimpy and she’s holding him very close. I’m not surprised.

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  • She is normalising her body whilst others are sexualising it. I followed her for a time and it’s just normal in her household and based on where she lives. I imagine there’s a level of jealousy from the trolls.

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  • Shes comfortable with herself. So many articles ive seen about are out to shame but lets normalise raising people up! Everyone comes in different shapes/sizes, wear different clothes, style their hair differently etc

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  • Her body is amazing! Good for her, she should feel open about sharing it. Yeah I guess it’s not the best photo to share on her son’s birthday, but if her son feels comfortable with it (which he did), then I have no problems!

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  • I don’t want to argue on the photo is inappropriate or not. Its their choice and their comfort level. However, if you are a celebrity than people will have an opinion the way when they say good things you are overwhelmed. So just take it as a pinch of salt and move on.

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  • Isn’t the point of a celebratory post is to make the birthday person feel happy? Her son just looks confused. She probably could have waited and gotten a nicer shot of them both.

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  • Its not the fact she is in a bikini (She has a great bikin body so good on her), its the photo of her, posing with her son. With the way she is standing, holding him, its a “couples” pose. That photo is quite uncomfortable to look cause it looks like they are a couple.

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  • The g string bottom makes me a bit uncomfortable but clearly she is very confident and open with her body. Every family has different modesty norms. Growing up my family was too modest, now I can’t bare to even breastfeed in front of family, even if covered with a blanket. Too awkward for me.

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