Influencer Jessica Sanders quits over ‘stupid’ bikini gaffe on Australia Day

An Australian influencer has shut down her social media account after being called out wearing a patriotic bikini on Australia Day.

A Sydney influencer has quit social media after copping backlash for “not knowing the difference” between the Australian and American flags.

Jessica Sanders’ account with 200,000 followers has been deleted after she shared a photo poolside with friends that she had captioned “Australia Day”.

But followers were quick to point out Sanders was wearing a bikini with the US flag – not the Australian flag.

An Instagram account that calls out Australian celebrities and social media stars for their embarrassing typos shared the snap and it was quickly flooded with brutal comments, mocking Jessica.

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Influencer Jessica Sanders has quit social media after being trolled for wearing a USA bikini on Australia Day. Picture: Instagram

She initially defended herself in the comments, writing: “I’m not stupid, of course I do [know the difference].

“Do you write on everyone’s pic who isn’t wearing the Aussie flag on Australia Day? Or just to be a b***h. Go away.”

But she now appears to have deleted or deactivated her account in response to the criticism.

Before her page disappeared, Jessica told followers she’d been on a “blocking sesh” and reinforcing her statement that she wore the American flag bikini “on purpose”.

“I bought an American bikini on purpose and wore it on Australia Day, what is wrong with that?” she asked.

“I see everyone else wearing whatever they want on Australia Day but because I am wearing an American bikini it gives people the right to say negative things about me and claim I am stupid?”

Jessica was accused of not knowing the difference between the two flags. Picture: Instagram

However her protests to the backlash did little to stop the swathes of people mocking the decision.

“Wrong on so many levels,” one person said.

“You have to be kidding me,” wrote another.

While others said it was “bad taste” and asked if it was a “joke” that had gone horribly wrong.

“Please tell me you know that’s the American flag,” one follower asked her directly.

An American flag features distinctive stars and stripes while an Australia flag is made up of the Southern Cross constellation and the Union Jack.

She labelled the backlash ‘stupid’. Picture: Instagram

She wasn’t the only influencer who found herself at the centre of a social media storm on Tuesday, with Pip Edwards also copping it over an Australia Day post.

Michael Clarke’s girlfriend issued a lengthy apology after being slated for celebrating the controversial day hours after sharing her support for the “change the date” movement.

The 40-year-old previously shared a letter titled “no cause to celebrate” with her 172,000 followers on Instagram that called for January 26 to be abandoned as a day of national celebration.

But just hours later she shared a series of photos and videos of herself at a gathering marking the day, writing: “A day to celebrate the land that we live and thrive on. I love you, Australia.”

Ms Edwards – who owns fitness empire P.E Nation – was widely criticised online for her “tone deaf behaviour” and later issued a grovelling apology on Instagram.

Michael Clarke’s girlfriend Pip Edwards apologised after being criticised for celebrating Australia Day. Picture: Instagram/PipEdwards

As part of her celebrations her group hung an Aboriginal flag upside down. Picture: Instagram/PipEdwards

“I want to express my sincere apologies to those that I have offended,” she wrote on Wednesday.

“My intentions were always from a good place, in support of all people, wanting unity and community in this country and globally.

“I innocently did not realise that the Aboriginal flag was upside down and was more focused on the idea of raising both flags together on the one pole, flying as one.”

She went on to described it as a “huge mistake” claiming she did not realise it at the time and didn’t mean to cause disrespect.

“I then made the error of incorrectly using the word ‘celebrate the land’ when it should have read ‘acknowledge’,” she continued.

“Again, a big mistake on my part and for that I deeply apologise.”