Someone told this mom she should stick to one-piece bathing suits. She wasn't having it.

Evan Porter
08.09.16

Any new mom can tell you taking a baby to the pool can be pretty stressful. The last thing you need is input from strangers about how you look in a bikini.

But that's exactly what happened to Lexi Sinclair who, while cooling off at the pool with her son Christian, had a strange and jarring interaction.

According to Lexi, an older woman came up to her while she was rubbing sunscreen on her son (every parent's favorite activity!) and, after some small talk, suggested maybe Lexi ought to stick with wearing a one-piece bathing suit for a while, as her body is still "recovering."

Lexi says the woman told her that "the men at the pool would feel more comfortable if I was in a one-piece swim suit because a bikini isn't appropriate for a mother."

Lexi kept a cool head and delivered a polite but brilliant retort. She later recapped the exchange on Facebook for the world to see:

So today I took my 4 month old son to the pool. While putting Christians pool hat on, a woman (maybe mid 50s) comes up...

Posted by Lexi Sinclair on Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Here's the full text of Lexi's post:

So today I took my 4 month old son to the pool. While putting Christians pool hat on, a woman (maybe mid 50s) comes up and makes conversation with me about Christian. Asking me his age, how much he weighs, how he sleeps, etc.

She then proceeded to tell me that the men at the pool would feel more comfortable if I was in a one-piece swim suit because a bikini isn't appropriate for a mother, especially one who's "still recovering." Anyone who knows me knows I had a few words for this crazy, ballsy woman.

But instead I just smiled, kissed my son and told her, "I'm proud of my body. In just one year I've gained 50 pounds, and lost 37. I've grown a human and given birth to a beautiful miracle. My body provided food for my child. So, no, my body might not be the best sight for other men to see. My stretch marks and tummy pudge might not be sexy. But they're proof that I've done something amazing, and I have a man that loves me and finds me even sexier and more beautiful now. To be honest, I don't give a tiny rats ass what other men, or a prissy twit like you think. Have a nice day though."



The response to Lexi's story has been massive, and it's a great reminder that looking and feeling beautiful has nothing to do with what strangers think.

Lexi says the response — over 24,000 shares and counting — has been completely unexpected. And while some of the comments have been rude and out of place (hey, this is still the internet we're talking about), her story has resonated positively with a lot of people.

"I've gotten responses from both ends of the spectrum. Everything from women telling me how much I've inspired them and men telling me its made them appreciate their wives even more," she said in an email.

"I just want other mommies to remember that it's all about how you see yourself, not how others see you. We're supposed to be raising our children to love themselves no matter what, and that should start with us."

health body image parents babies moms mothers pregnancy body shaming body positivity swimsuits post-pregnancy body bathing suits fat shaming bikinis
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Oprah's social experiment on audience members puts racism in a new light

On an old episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in July 1992, Oprah put her audience through a social experiment that puts racism in a new light. Despite being nearly two decades old, it's as relevant today as ever.

She split the audience members into two groups based on their eye color. Those with brown eyes were given preferential treatment by getting to cut the line and given refreshments while they waited to be seated. Those with blue eyes were made to put on a green collar and wait in a crowd for two hours.

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Watch the video to see how this experiment plays out.

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