Their day started with a fun family outing, which is why they were surprised to find out that she would be humiliated and mistreated on the same day! The little kids playing around were not the problem, nor was the costly price of the tickets and food at the water park. This issue was a lot more serious. This woman was kicked out of the park for being in the water for just a couple of minutes. Needless to say, she was mad.
Water Park Kicks Mother Out For Her Outfit But Didn’t Know That She Would Fight Back
Her Name Is Madelyn Scheaffer
The woman from Odessa in Missouri named Madelyn Scheaffer is a dedicated mother. Everyone knows her as the type of woman who would do absolutely anything that she could to make sure that her family was happy and taken care of. However, when she was in her mid-30s, something significant happened, which shattered her entire world. What could have possibly happened to this woman that was so significant?
Her Name Is Madelyn Scheaffer
Hard Work
After seven years, some employees from the water park tried to undo her hard work. Madelyn really has been through it all, and saying that she had a tough time with everything was an understatement. Whatever happened at the water park must have been so terrible as it had drastically affected her life and everything that she is doing.
Hard Work
It Was Time To Make A Decision
She discovered something about herself in 2005 that completely changed her life as she reconsidered her choices. After she had been in an accident, she had been suffering from a slipped disc. She slipped and fell into the bathtub after leaning over too far.
It Was Time To Make A Decision
A Change
Her way of living wasn’t exactly healthy for her body, either, which is why one day, she decided that enough was enough. She realized that this was the moment for her to start making some changes in her life. The pain of a slipped disc is enough to make anyone turn their life around.
A Change
It Was A Sign
During the accident, it only took a short amount of time for the emergency workers to come over. However, the mother refused to move as she was in immense pain. She was in so much pain that she went as far as sending the responders away and would rather lie down in the bathtub for a couple of days.
It Was A Sign
A Sense Of Calm
After spending some time there, she suddenly felt a sense of tranquility wrapping around her body. None of what happened was part of her plan. She viewed it as a sign that she was not taking proper care of herself as she was neglecting herself while taking care of everyone in the family.
A Sense Of Calm
She Was Determined To Change
According to Madelyn, “That should have been the first sign for me that I needed to lose weight, but it took me another year before I decided to do something.” Regardless, an incredible occurrence happened when she finally gathered all her willpower and strength.
She Was Determined To Change
Best Shape Of Her Life
After two years, she made a major change in her life as she lost a whopping hundred pounds! After five years of doing so, she was still in great shape. But she had no idea that she was about to face one of her life’s biggest battles yet.
Best Shape Of Her Life
Mustering The Bravery To Do It
Madelyn was certainly in the best shape of her life as she weighed 170 pounds at 43. She was very confident about herself. On a hot day, she tried to do something completely new that she had not tried before. She understood her body was not perfect, yet she found the courage to wear a new black bikini and go to Adventure Oasis Water Park with her family. Unbeknownst to her, things were about to go south there.
Mustering The Bravery To Do It
Someone Was Watching Her
During their time at the water park, Madelyn looked at everyone’s bodies, regardless of whether they were young or old, yet she wasn’t jealous! At the time, she was confident and was happy with how she looked, as she knew that her years of hard work had paid off. She wasn’t aware that someone was eyeing her.
Someone Was Watching Her
Confidence is Key
There is no doubt that losing weight is a difficult task. On top of that, it is also even more difficult to muster up the courage and confidence to wear a bikini after being overweight. While you have lost a bit of weight, having confidence in yourself does not come automatically. Madelyn felt good about herself and her progress, but all of that was about to change because of this occurrence.
Confidence Is Key
She Could Not Believe It
She put down her towel, sat down, and later decided to take a dip in the cold water. Two female staff members later approached her after being inside the water for approximately five minutes. Madelyn found it quite hard to process what the staff members had just told her.
She Could Not Believe It
Employees Say What
She asked the water park staff members to repeat what they had said as she squinted up at them in the sunlight. Perhaps she had just misheard what the employees have said. She was shocked by what these female staff members told her; she was speechless even.
Employees Say What
Her “Inappropriate” Outfit
One of the female staff complied with Madelyn’s request and sighed as she repeated what she had just said. The female staff told Madelyn once more that what she was wearing was “too small” and “inappropriate” as she was in a family park. How could this have been right?
Her “Inappropriate” Outfit
According To Who’s Standards?
Madelyn was wearing “full” bikini bottoms at the time, which is why she was confused as she looked around at every other woman in the water park as a lot of them were wearing scantier swimwear! She knew that something wrong was going on there.
According To Who’s Standards
She Felt Violated
She could not hide her emotions as it was all over the place and hiding what she felt was hard at the time. She could not help but feel very embarrassed and shameful after hearing what the female employees had told her. It even seemed like these employees violated her.
She Felt Violated
Taking A Stand
After a little while, she was able to stop herself from feeling ass such. Instead, she became furious. Madelyn said, “I was embarrassed for a second, and then it was no, no way.” She had worked too hard to reach the body that she desired, and she was not going to let these women break down her confidence.
Taking A Stand
They Singled Her Out
Madelyn went on to say, “My body is different than the young girls that were walking around in their bikinis, but why should I be made ashamed of my body? I am comfortable in my bikini. I am happy with who I am.”
They Singled Her Out
Embracing Your Body
Madelyn added on to her statement, “My first reaction was, why are you singling me out? They said that my bottoms were inappropriate. That was funny to me because they are full-size bottoms.” Every woman of various shapes and sizes should all be able to accept their bodies and love themselves for who they are without being shamed for it.
Embracing Your Body
Time To Take A Stand
She tried to look around for the staff members who had confronted her. They were still looking at her up and down with an expression on their faces that seemed to be accusing. If this had happened several years ago when she was not the same person as she was at the time, Madelyn knew that she would not be able to stand up for herself as she was too shy. Thankfully, things are different this time for her.
Time To Take A Stand
Standing Up For Herself
She was aware that it was about time for her to take a stand. After all, it was obvious that this water park’s employees were singling her out for no valid reason. She would not accept her confidence to be easily broken down as she had worked hard for years to build herself and her confidence up.
Standing Up For Herself
They Gave Her Two Options
The young women did not let the matter go easily. They went on to tell Madelyn that they would only be giving her two options. She would either wear a pair of shorts over her bikini bottoms or leave the park. There is no doubt that these statements made Madelyn even more furious, leading her to ask for their supervisor.
They Gave Her Two Options
Choosing
Madelyn then responded to what these employees have told her, “Well, I am not covering up, and if you expect me to leave, you had better call the police and have them escort me out.” She certainly felt a bit embarrassed for being singled out by these employees; regardless, she did not feel that she was only standing up for herself, rather for women as a whole.
Choosing
She Was Booted Out
Disappointingly, law enforcers were called and eventually arrived at the water park to have Madelyn kicked out of the area. It took fifteen minutes for them to arrive, and while they disagreed with what was told of them, they had no choice but to do their jobs. One of them said, ‘We can’t actually say anything, but I hope from the expressions on our face you can tell how we feel.”
She Was Booted Out
Even The Police Agreed
Madelyn went to Facebook to voice out her concerns and write about the injustice that she had experienced. Naturally, her Facebook post was seen by a lot of people as it went viral. “They were compassionate. They, too, though it was ridiculous.”, Madelyn wrote on her Facebook post. It should be clear that the police should have an idea of what should and should not be allowed.
Even The Police Agreed
Looking Too Good In A Bikini
Madelyn continued to talk in her post, “I am a 43-year-old woman who did not have the confidence of the body, to put on a bikini until [I was] 40 years old; I will not be discriminated against because I look too good in one.”
Looking Too Good In A Bikini
Wearing A Bikini At Any Age
In her post, she went on to describe the bathing suit that she was wearing: “This was not a thing. It was a standard, summertime, two-piece, string bikini… the same as everyone else, who felt confident enough in their body to wear one.” No matter the body type, she knew that anyone wearing the same dress should not go through the same unfair treatment that she had experienced nor even have anything similar happen to them.
Wearing A Bikini At Any Age
It Was Completely Unfair
Madelyn furiously added, “I felt like it was both age and body discrimination, and I felt like I could look around me, and I could see a handful of other girls half my age, wearing the same size swimming suit and not being singled out and told to put on clothes or leave.” Which begs the question, what could Madelyn possibly do about the situation that had happened to her?
It Was Completely Unfair
It Went Viral On Facebook
After she shared her side of the story through her Facebook post, many people from all over the world found about how the employees of this water park discriminated against her. They found it hard to believe that the staff of this park acted as such towards her! However, Madelyn did not stop there.
It Went Viral On Facebook
Spreading The Word
Madelyn knew that the water park staff would not realize what they had done wrong by only shaming them online and posting what they had done wrong. So, what else could she do? She decided that she would blow this whole thing up, even more for all the women in the world who did not have the confidence and courage to do the same and stand up for themselves.
Spreading The Word
She Received Local Support
How would Madelyn do it? Here is how, “Long story short, I called the media and will be on tonight’s local 41 news. Several people walked out while I waited outside for the newsman, and told me how ridiculous this all was, and complimented me on my swimsuit.” We are more than happy that her post received a lot of attention than she thought was possible.
She Received Local Support
Supporters From All Over The World
“In addition to other countries already mentioned, I have now heard from Greece, China, Hong Kong…and received over 500 beautiful letters from Brazil. I have wanted to see the world, and now the world is coming to me and sending much Love.”, said Madelyn as she went to Facebook to show her gratitude for how many people received her post from all around the world. It was fascinating that a lot of strangers had her back!
Supporters From All Over The World
Appreciation For The Human Body
Madelyn continued to say, “One thing I have learned so far is that there is a much greater viewpoint and perspective of the human body than what is to be found in Independence, Missouri worldwide… and I thank and appreciate you for that!”
Appreciation For The Human Body
Appreciating What We Have
She went on to say, “Much Love to those who express pride over shame for all shapes, sizes, in addition to various ages and stages, of this beautiful human body we inhabit our time on earth.” But with all the things that she was doing, what exactly was she trying to achieve?
Appreciating What We Have
Money Is Not Going To Fix The Problem
Here is what Madelyn said when talking about what she was trying to achieve, “While I stand by my grievance that I was discriminated against at Adventure Oasis Water Park, and I do not believe it should happen again, it is not money that is going to correct the issue, but a change in the swimming park’s “appropriate swimming attire” policy, and also an improvement involving better education and orientation of their park management.”
Money Is Not Going To Fix The Problem
Change In Policy
We agree that this is the only way for things to improve there. We hope that the water park would listen to Madelyn’s words a lot more sooner than later. Unless those are their standards, in which case, they should enforce it equally and fairly, rather than how they did Madelyn. Sadly, these events happen all over the world. In fact, this next story is even crazier than Madelyn’s story.
Change In Policy
Unwelcome
Sarah Villafane is a college student who frequently exercises at the student gym at her college, the College of Charleston. Up until this point, she never had any problem going there. Every time her classes finished, Sarah would always make her way to the gym, but what they had to say to her wasn’t okay.
Unwelcome
Her Gym Top
On that day, Sarah wore the same outfit to all three of her classes. She usually wore gym clothes while in class to save herself time. This is also a common habit for busy people as this is a good way to save time. In fact, this habit is not even unusual.
Her Gym Top
A Matching Set
The outfit she wore on that day was black leggings matched with a matching black sleeveless shirt. The shirt was slightly cropped, not showing too much of her torso since her leggings were high-waisted. Everyone knows that this attire is a common combination, especially when going to the gym.
A Matching Set
Approached Her
As usual, she went about her day as she was doing her exercises in the gym when an employee of the gym approached her. The employee told her that she needed to change what she was wearing, as it was inappropriate. Sarah found it hard to believe what he had just heard. What was she going to do about it?
Approached Her
No Other Option
She answered the employee by telling him the truth: that she didn’t have another shirt. After doing so, she went on with her workout and continued her session as if the employee did not even approach her. Although she felt a bit embarrassed, this was not the end of it.
No Other Option
The Conversation
Heading to the back corner of the gym, Sarah worked on her abs on the floor. To her dismay, another staff member approached her once more. The employee told her to put her shirt back on, to which she responded that she has a shirt on.
The Conversation
The Staff Member Argued
The employee replied once more with her answer by saying, “no, that’s not a shirt. You have to wear a whole shirt.” In response, Sarah asked the employee as to how is she not wearing a shirt. The staff member then went on to explain that in the gym, she needed full coverage.
The Staff Member Argued
Continued On
The employee further told Sarah that if she had any problem, they could always call their ‘boss’ on the premises, in which Sarah laughed and said that they could always send him any time they want if they were actually serious with what they told her.
Continued On
The Manager
It was at this point when the gym’s manager came up to her. He told her that she would be required to leave the premises if she would not change her shirt. Obviously, this was even more embarrassing for her as it was happening in front of every student present in the gym.
The Manager
Referred To As Boss
Still, the manager told Sarah once more, “I need you to put on a shirt, or I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.” Likewise, Sarah responded with her previous answer by saying, “But I have a shirt on.” Regardless, the manager did not care as he responded with, “Are you gonna put a shirt on?”
Referred To As Boss
Gym Clothes
Gym clothes are supposed to be comfortable, wearable, and sometimes show little skin to allow heat to escape while exercising. Over the years, many gyms had people wearing tight, flexible, and even showier clothing than what Sarah was wearing at the time.
Gym Clothes
Conducted Wrong
Sarah felt embarrassed as she was forced to leave. This situation definitely should not have been handled this way. The employees could have told Sarah about their policy in a much nicer way instead of how they did it. They just needed to enforce it differently. Sadly, this was not the case. Sarah intended to do something about it.
Conducted Wrong
Taking It To Media
By the time she got home, Sarah had posted what had happened to her on Facebook and explained all her frustrations with the situation. She was furious. She even mentioned her top as though it was a sports bra. It was still athletic wear, which should have been allowed at the premises.
Taking It To Media