She had been looking forward to the family outing, but it ended filled with terrible experiences she would never have expected. You would think the rowdy kids would have upset her or the overpriced food, but you would be wrong.
She had just waded into the water when the staff approached her. What they did next is something she could never stand for.
A Life-Changing Experience
Madelyn Scheaffer was a single mother who lived with her family in Odessa, Missouri. She would do anything for her family to ensure they had what they needed. When she was 30 years old, she experienced something that would change her world forever.
She had worked incredibly hard for what she had, but these teenagers would unravel it all seven years later.
Landing In The Tub
Madelyn experienced a life-changing moment in 2005 when she ran herself a bath. She had slipped when leaning over and landed in the tub, which caused her to slip a disc.
It had been a painful experience and had a significantly impacted on her body. The pain eventually became unbearable for Madelyn.
Couldn’t Move
She found it too difficult to move because of the pain. It hurt so much that she dismissed the emergency workers when they came to assist. She had spent three days in the tub, trying to find as much ease as possible.
She hadn’t planned for her life to turn out like this. She had given her all to her family but lying in the tub made her realize that she hadn’t been taking care of herself as she should have. She spent a lot of her time thinking about this.
A Sign
“I knew I needed to lose weight, and I should have taken that as a sign. But I didn’t do anything about it until a year later,” she said. Madelyn eventually pulled through, mustering up all her strength, and the results were extraordinary.
It took her two years to lose 100 pounds, and she managed to maintain her weight for the following five years. She felt like it was a win but had no idea what was coming.
Better Than Ever
Madelyn had weighed 170 pounds by the time she was 43 years old. She felt better than ever before. Her newfound fitness and confidence had her doing something she would never have thought of doing back then.
She knew she didn’t have a perfect body but wanted to show it off. That’s when she decided to go to Adventure Oasis Water Park with her family donning a new black bikini. It wasn’t long before she started doubting her decision.
Proud
The park was filled with young and old people, and it wasn’t lost on Madelyn that many wore revealing clothing. However, she wasn’t affected by this.
She was proud of how her body looked because it showcased all the hard work she had put in to get where she was. But a stranger had their eyes locked on her while she was unaware.
She Was Approached
When she was ready to cool off in the water, she dropped her towel and slid in. She hadn’t been in the water long before she felt shadows being cast over her by two female staff members. What they said to her had her mouth hanging open.
The sun was behind them, so she had to squint when she looked up at them. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard, so she asked them to repeat themselves.
Inappropriate
The woman to the left sighed, annoyed at having to repeat herself. She bluntly stated that Madelyn’s bikini bottoms were inappropriate for the public setting. “They’re too small,” she chirped. Madelyn looked down at her bikini, feeling confused.
She had purchased this bikini specifically for the “full” bikini bottoms. What startled her was that other girls in the water park showed more skin than she was, so why was she the only one being singled out?
Wanting To Hide
Madelyn felt her blood rushing to her face. She felt so confident in her body, but the women’s confrontation embarrassed her. She wanted to curl into a ball but suddenly straightened her spine.
Her shame turned to anger within a matter of seconds. “I wasn’t going to be made to feel bad like that,” she said.
Everyone Is Different
“Everyone’s body is different. My body doesn’t look the same in a bikini as it does to other girls, but why was I made to feel ashamed?” Madelyn asked. “I love my body and was more than happy to wear a bikini.”
She explained that she was confused as to why they had singled her out, saying that her bottoms were unsuitable for the public environment. “I found it funny because I had gotten the full-size bottoms for a reason.”
Standing Up For Herself
Madelyn looked at the two women and straightened her spine despite the accusatory looks they were shooting her. She thought back to when she used to have low self-esteem. She would never have been able to stand up for herself then.
But this was something she couldn’t let slide. There was no denying she was the only one picked on, which wasn’t fair.
Their Warning
The women insisted that if Madelyn didn’t cover up with a pair of shorts, she would have to leave the waterpark. Madelyn bristled and asked them to call their supervisor. She was not going to leave over such a trivial matter.
She couldn’t hide her anger when she said, “I don’t need to cover up, so I’m not going to. The only way I’m leaving is if you have the police come and escort me off the premises.”
Doing Their Job
Madelyn was shocked when she saw police officers approaching her, ready to kick her out. It had only taken fifteen minutes for them to arrive! “They told me it was their job and had to do it even if they didn’t agree.”
They confessed that they couldn’t disclose any of their opinions to her. “But we hope our facial expressions can speak for us.” Madelyn posted the events on Facebook and wrote, “They didn’t understand the fuss either. They were sympathetic and very kind.” The post had gone viral.
“I Love My Body”
“It has taken me years to build up the confidence to wear a bikini,” Madelyn wrote. “I reached that confidence when I was 40, and I am 43 now. I love my body, and I think I look great in a bikini. But I will not be discriminated against because of it.”
She explained that she hadn’t been wearing anything close to a thong and that it was a two-piece, string bikini like everyone else was wearing for the summer. “They felt confident enough to wear theirs, and so did I.”