Abbie Chatfield's video caught the attention of local media, and a barrage of Italian men sent angry messages. Photo / Instagram
Abbie Chatfield's video caught the attention of local media, and a barrage of Italian men sent angry messages. Photo / Instagram
Aussie influencer Abbie Chatfield has copped criticism from an avalanche of angry Italian men after calling out a "sexist" issue with restaurant menus in the country.
The reality TV actress turned radio host and podcaster is enjoying a getaway in Italy after travelling to Scotland for a friend's wedding.
Chatfield became well known across the ditch as a finalist on the Australian version of The Bachelor, before going on to host radio show Hot Nights with Abbie, and the It's A Lot podcast.
But while on holiday with her boyfriend Konrad Bien-Stephens, the 26-year-old noticed something unusual about the menu she was given during a fancy dinner at a Venice restaurant at the weekend.
The menu featured a list of meals without any pricing, while the one Bien-Stephens was handed included the dishes' prices.
"Only men get a menu with prices? PATRIARCHY," Chatfield captioned a clip shared on social media on Sunday calling out the "sexist" double standard.
Abbie Chatfield shared a video on social media calling out the "sexist" menu. Photo / Instagram
But despite admitting she's "unknown" in the foreign country, her video caught the attention of local media, and a barrage of Italian men proceeded to send Chatfield angry messages.
Many argued it was "tradition" and that she needed to "respect" their way of life – but Chatfield wasn't having a bar of it.
"I have made the Italian news because I spoke about getting a menu without prices and now I have lots of angry Italian men in my DMs saying I need to 'get some class' because I dared say I should know how much I'm paying," she explained in a recent Instagram story.
She joked she was "upsetting men all over the world" before teasing her "rant" had resulted in her and Bien-Stephens being "kicked out of Italy".
But, she said, while many men were branding her "ignorant and selfish" for calling out the practice, many women were on her side.
"The Italians are continuing to come after me and I am being tagged in stories saying 'go home'," she explained.
"Umm, sorry I wanted to know what prices I was paying for the meals (sic).
"A lot of sexist men are in my DMs saying it isn't about gender but calling it a 'ladies menu'. So it is a sexist notion. Sorry, the notion is sexist — get a grip."
Chatfield then explained the idea comes from the notion women can't support themselves, adding she didn't realise the menu issue even existed until now.
Earlier in her trip, Chatfield copped criticism for her "tone deaf" post over claims she failed to recognise her "privileged" behaviour.
Fans were rubbed up the wrong way when Chatfield revealed she ditched the business class lounge at the airport — where food and drinks are free — in favour of a mainstream airport bar.
Again followers were left with a bad taste in their mouth when she appeared unimpressed by the expensive menu at her Venice hotel's restaurant – after they had upgraded her room to a A$15,000 per night suite.
"Lesson learnt from this trip: Rich people and 'rich' experiences are boring. Just FYI. Get me to a gelato shop stat," Chatfield wrote in a selfie taken at the same restaurant that had the "sexist" menus.
Some followers took to Twitter saying the radio host was trying too hard to appear "relatable" — and it wasn't working.
"Please just appreciate these things because there are so many of us who will never get the chance," one user wrote.
"I like Abbie but this isn't cool. Stop complaining about your super expensive trip! Just own it! This is not a 'haha I'm so relatable' thing," another added.
Others agreed Chatfield should just "own her wealth".
"I have no issue with flexing your wealth but if you're gonna do it, own it, don't then complain about your super expensive luxury travel not being as vibey as the way poor people travel? Especially when MOST people haven't travelled in years and won't for another few years."
