Dani Mathers Says She’s ‘Not Sorry’ About Backlash After Naked Body-Shaming Photo Controversy

It’s been nearly a year since she posted a photo body-shaming a fellow gymgoer, and now, former Playboy Playmate Dani Mathers is speaking out about the controversy, admitting that she regrets what she did, but not the criticism she received afterwards.

In a new interview with Us Weekly, Mathers, 30, opened up about the decision she made in July 2016 to secretly Snapchat a photo of a 70-year-old woman in the locker room of an LA Fitness, poking fun at the other woman’s body by captioning the image “If I can’t unsee this then you can’t either.”

Read: Dani Mathers Deletes Social Media After Body-Shaming Photo

“There is no doubt I regret that stupid choice,” she said. “I am sorry that it happened to this woman. But I am not sorry about what happened to me. I would not have this push to create positivity and try to change people’s minds about how they act without thinking. My life flipped upside down. But it’s a blessing in disguise.”

Following the photo, Mathers was banned from the gym and its franchises, and was also fired from a hosting gig on a KLOS 95.5 radio show. In May of this year, she pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy, and was sentenced to three years’ probation and 30 days of community service.

In the interview, she also revealed that the situation has caused her to change how she approaches using social media.

“I took a break for almost a year. I feared anything positive I put out would be seen as disingenuous. I hope my situation shows there is a responsibility when on social media,” she said.

She also admitted that while she doesn’t regret the backlash she received, she does think she got more of it because of her past as a Playboy Playmate.

Read: 5 Facts About Dani Mathers

“Prior to this, I would get unfortunate comments about my physical appearance. I was pigeonholed into this stereotypical view,” she said. “It discounts the work I put into my career. Being in the public eye isn’t all rainbows.”

Mathers, who has also been working with charities since the controversy, something she says she does because of the person she really is and not because of what happened, also said that she’s really learned how wrong she was, and she’s become stronger now because she can handle the criticism she received.

“When you’re told how much of a monster you are, it pushed you to look inside. I don’t ever want to be someone spitting hate. That's really what I’ve learned,” she said. “I also gained a lot of empathy and learned that everybody, at some point, has judged a person, Going through this past year and making it to the other side, I know I can handle almost anything.”