Australian model Elyse Knowles has ignited public outrage after posting a photo of her naked daughter covered in chicken pox blisters to her 760,000 Instagram followers. The 33-year-old, who rose to fame winning The Block in 2017, shared several confronting images of her youngest child, Java, on Tuesday, showing the severe rash that had developed into scabby blisters.
Details of the Controversial Posts
In an Instagram Story, Knowles wrote, “Holy s**t, it’s been a month,” alongside a photo of her naked daughter. She added, “Ending in chicken pox for this chick. This is the good area on her body.” At the end of the post, the mother-of-three acknowledged that in the intimate image, her “private parts are covered.” Another photo displayed the child’s back dotted with red spots, with Knowles noting that Java hadn’t slept in two nights due to irritation.
Public Reaction and Criticism
Hours after Knowles made the posts, members of a Facebook community group expressed anger, describing themselves as “mortified” and “appalled” by her decision to upload the personal photos online. One group member commented, “If she posted a photo in a shirt and shorts, you could still see how bad they are. Why does a little girl need to be posted like that on social media to 700k followers?” Another added, “I don’t even have kids, but thought it was absolutely unnecessary to show that much of your naked child on the internet.” A third user said, “(This is) very alarming. Mentioning her private parts too.” One member remarked, “I was a little freaked out when a naked child appeared on my feed – who is this content for?”
Additional criticism focused on child safety concerns. One person wrote, “It’s amazing just how oblivious people are around child safety and online safety. Child predators are very real and very good at what they do.” Other users in the group said they reported the Instagram Story to the platform.
Elyse Knowles’ Background and Career
Knowles began modelling around the age of 10 and has built a successful career working with brands such as Myer and Seafolly, and has appeared on the covers of Marie Claire and InStyle. She gained a larger public following after winning The Block alongside her partner Josh Barker. PerthNow has reached out to Knowles for comment regarding the backlash.
