Steph Claire Smith ‘mum-shamed’ for wearing bikini around son

An Australian fitness entrepreneur worth millions has shared her shock after some labelled her “cheeky” bikini unsuitable for a mum.

Steph Claire Smith has spoken out after being “mum-shamed” for wearing a bikini around her young son while playing in a swimming pool.

The 30-year-old is the co-founder of the cult Australian fitness app Kic. She also co-hosts the Kic Podcast alongside her business partner Laura Henshaw, has a hugely successful modelling career and works as an influencer with a following of 1.5 million people.

But Ms Smith has found that since welcoming her son Harvey, 3, with husband Josh Miller, she has experienced a shift in attitudes towards her – one that became acutely apparent after the most recent clip she posted.

In the video, the mum – who is currently 16 weeks pregnant with her second child – can be seen jumping into her family pool to retrieve Harvey’s goggles which had fallen into the deep end.

While her son is off camera, he can be heard chatting away to his mum, an interaction Ms Smith told news.com.au she wanted to capture.

“My son’s vocabulary development is something that I am blown away by every single day,” she said.

“Our little back-and-forth chats are one of my favourite parts of my day. I had a feeling that when he asked me to get his goggles from the bottom of the pool, that it might’ve made for a cute conversation to capture… I know I’m not the only parent who films moments like this to watch back time and time again.”

Steph Claire Smith was cruelly ‘mum-shamed’ for wearing a bikini around her son in this video. Picture: TikTok/StephClaireSmith

But the fitness star has clapped back at those who suggested it was ‘inappropriate’ to wear around a child. Picture: TikTok/StephClaireSmith

But when she later shared the video on TikTok, some viewers weren’t happy with Ms Smith’s “cheeky” bikini, with some labelling the cossie “inappropriate” and suggesting the clip deliberately had sexual connotations.

“When I watched it back, sure, I noticed my bum was a little on show,” Ms Smith told news.com.au.

“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.

“I ignored the sexualised comments from men, but the comments that made me frustrated were the comments from any gender mentioning that what I was wearing was ‘inappropriate around a child’.

“I accept people have the right to their own opinion, but it doesn’t mean that opinions always need to be shared.”

The 30-year-old had wanted to share the adorable conversation she was having with her three-year-old. Picture: TikTok/StephClaireSmith

In a follow up video in which Ms Smith addressed the critics, she noted the backlash to the video was because she was wearing a bikini, and that once women become mothers they are often held to different standards.

“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,” she told news.com.au.

“For me, at times that’s meant not feeling sexy anymore. But when I really thought about why that was, it was because society has set this expectation for what it looks like to be a ‘good mum’.

“There are ‘rules’ in the back of our heads making us believe what’s ’appropriate’ for ‘mums’ to wear – which can lead to losing confidence in ourselves and our identities.”

Despite the harsh criticism of her choice in swimwear, Ms Smith said she has “always felt more comfortable and confident in bikinis”.

“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,” she stressed.

Ms Smith said she has also “experienced shame” surrounding her body. The entrepreneur, who ranked 100th on the Financial Review Young Rich List in 2021, with an estimated net worth of $36 million, said she has “grappled with being taken seriously” because she has “showed skin” on the internet and in modelling campaigns.

“On the business side of things, I’ve been told by someone before that I would never be taken seriously in business if I kept posting in swimwear or lingerie, and whilst I didn’t necessarily agree with that, I did let it alter how I felt for some time,” she said.

“But not anymore.”

She added: “I hope one day we can live in a world where there is less judgment placed on women and mothers in particular, and that we get more of the admiration that we deserve no matter what our body looks like or what we chose to wear.”

Fans have flooded to support Ms Smith, stating that she shouldn’t have to “justify” decisions she makes as a mother.

“I don’t think people realise us mums we love recording the random convos that we have with our toddlers. I love setting my phone on recording when my little one and I have a conversation,” one wrote.

“The internet can be so cruel,” another agreed.

As one said: “I can’t believe you even have to explain this I thought the video was adorable.”

“You shouldn’t have to justify it but sadly that’s the world we live in now. Keep doing you Steph,” added someone else.

Others said it was “crazy” and “wild” that Ms Smith had to respond.