Swimmer Loses Because Of Judges Views On Her Swimwear

The final verdict would come down with the judge’s hammer. Then she could do nothing but watch her victory slip between her fingers.

She and her coach were in disbelief. She had trained so hard and now it was for nothing. She couldn’t help what happened yet she was disqualified all the same. Her suit looked like everyone else’s.

Born To Swim

No one loved the water more than Breckynn Willis. She couldn’t go a day without taking a plunge into the pool and training.

Even at the young age of 17 Willis already had big dreams of getting a scholarship and eventually a shot at the Olympics. So she competed in any competitions she could. But she had no idea that it would eventually end in disaster.

Best In Class

Breckynn was one of the best swimmers on her team at the Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska. She worked hard and had a natural talent that one could only envy.

She was a popular student who had a lot of friends and got on well with most of the teachers at school. Everyone loved her but often, where there’s a lot of admiration, jealousy festers.

Unknown Stares

The stands by the pool were packed full of guests and staff excited to see the competition in the indoor room that smelled of chlorine.

She loved the exhilaration that came when her name was called out to do what she did best – the 100-meter freestyle. But one judge was looking at her a little too closely.

Perfect Execution

As she heard the whistle she knew it was her time. Every part of her body was ready for what came next. It was a natural reflex for her.

She did it perfectly, or so she thought. She resurfaced at the end of the pool and pulled herself out and dried herself off with a towel.

Immediate Disqualification

“Breckynn Willis of Diamond High School is disqualified.”

She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. The words rang out in her mind. Was this really happening? She looked to her coach for answers but he seemed as dumbfounded as her.

Heated Argument

Lauren Langly, her coach, marched up to the referee with fire in her eyes.

She looked over at Breckynn, after the referee pointed at her she had to take a step back, what had been said to her? It was almost as if she had been slapped.

“You Can’t Be Serious?”

Breckynn then overhead, “You can’t be serious.” She knew what she had to do, she couldn’t just stand there and take it.

Something must have been wrong for her to be disqualified, but what was it? She wanted to hear the excuse they came up with. The real reason would leave her furious.

Getting Heated

The referee had words for her coach and she caught a lot of what they were saying. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt her face flush.

What made Breckynn’s face turn scarlet was overhearing, “The girl’s swimsuit was so far up I could see butt cheek touching butt cheek.’’ Her coach scowled at the judge, then they noticed her walking over.

Wardrobe Alterations

Lauren told Breckynn that they were leaving. But things would take an even stranger turn before the end of the day.

Apparently, the referee had decided to eliminate the student from the competition because she was showing too much skin and decided she had intentionally hiked up her suit to be more revealing. But, later, another reason would emerge.

Swimmer’s Problems

Everyone else, including Breckynn, pointed out that every single girl wore the exact same suit.

There was also a reason for the skin. It’s called a “swimmer’s wedgie” and everyone gets them. Even regular swimmers know the feeling and know they are not comfortable. No one would do this intentionally. However, the real reason would soon come out.

Taking Action

After the ruling, Coach Lauren Langford went to social media and lodged a formal complaint with the Alaska School Activities Association, too.

The answer, however, was just as bad as the original complaint. Breckynn, it turns out, was being specially targeted by the referee for a rather disgusting reason.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Not only was the girl curvier than the other teammates, but she was also of mixed-race heritage.

It might seem like something impossible to spot for most people, but when the details came to light, it was sadly believable. The facts ended up undisputable and caused a huge blast of outrage. Why?

Sister Experienced It Too

Everyone was wearing standard uniform suits, two other girls looked very similar to her, and her 100m freestyle execution was excellent.

Her sister, and fellow swimmer, ended up the key to the situation. No other member of any team had been kicked out for appearance reasons, but she and her sister had. When they understood why everyone involved was furious.

Injustice

Coach Lauren Langford was seething when she spoke to KTUU: “The rest of her team was wearing the same uniform, and she was the only one disqualified. It is my opinion that she has been targeted and singled out over the course of the last year.”

The disqualification, according to referee Jill Blackstone, was due to a new “modesty rule,” but the truth was becoming clearer and clearer.

Singled Out

The new “modesty” rule had come with new, standard-issue swimsuits for every girl, but Breckynn had been singled out because Jill Blackstone, the referee, just hadn’t liked the way it looked on the girl’s fuller, curvier figure.

It was just as coach Langford had suspected, but it was her word against Blackford’s. But, what the referee didn’t know was that Lauren had proof.

School Swimming Scandal

Lauren wrote a blog post detailing the scandal. Soon, the truth would be out. The new “modesty” rules that were put in place at the school were solely for policing young girls’ bodies.

She believed the whole incident was an orchestrated campaign against Beckynn, her sister, and other girls of color. One terrible incident, in particular, was at the ugly heart of it all.

Policed

As a swim coach at another school within the district that regularly competes with Dimond High, I’ve watched this scandal divide my swimming community,” coach Langford wrote.

“It has caused my own athletes to be needlessly self-conscious about the appearance of their bodies, which preoccupies them just as much, if not more, than the quality of their performances. What’s clear is that these girls’ bodies are being policed — not their uniforms.”

Damning Accusation

“These young swimmers aren’t being punished for wearing their suits in scandalous or provocative ways,” her post continues, “but rather, because their ample hips, full chests, and dark complexions look different than their willowy, thin, and mostly pallid teammates. Some will argue this scandal has nothing to do with race.”

“…The issue becomes glaring when officials are overheard acknowledging that white athletes are baring too much skin as well, yet they’ve never been disqualified.” But that wasn’t all.

Unbelievable

Coach Langford detailed another incidence that had taken place within the year. Unbelievably, a parent had secretly taken photographs of Breckynn’s rear when she was wearing a swimsuit and had circulated them via email to other parents and teachers!

“Uniform violation!” the parent wrote, and later, someone overheard them saying “that for the sake of their sons, the mother of these young ladies should cover up her daughters.”

If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Look

Coach Langford concluded her post: “If you do not like the way that swimsuits fit on these girls’ bodies then don’t look; they are minors, children, and no one should be looking at them anyway. We cannot take back what has already unfolded but we can make sure it does not happen going forward.”

It wasn’t long before Coach Langford’s post went viral. Although the issue with the referee was under investigation, it wasn’t long before the Anchorage school district was forced to take a stance on the matter.

Going Public

Meanwhile, Breckynn was going public with the shocking story. The incident had reached the ears of Kelly Clarkson, who invited both the swimmer and her coach to appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Everyone who saw the episode was disgusted, too, and some were quick to take to the comments section to point out the startling facts.

Outcry

“The thing that’s really frustrating is the more curvy a woman is, the more pressured she is to be “modest,” I mean come on folks. Is this really about being “modest” or body shaming cuz men can’t handle it??” One woman wrote.

“What’s worse is that the referee who made this call disqualifying her… was a WOMAN! Seriously? How can a woman do that to a girl? Stop body shaming females for being who they are!” another proclaimed. But would there be any justice?

Two Obvious Rules

The Association reversed the ruling and reinstated her points and title.

Then, there were two very strict reminders sent out to all staff and referees. First, there could be zero assumption about standard-issued suits – which in many opinions would have been obvious. Second, and most importantly…

Moving Forward

It was professionally and personally inappropriate to judge a competitor based on their appearance – again, this should have been obvious, but apparently, a few individuals needed a reminder.

There was no place for sexism, racism, or discrimination in their competitions. However, there was one silver lining to the entire ordeal.

Still Swimming

The media coverage had brought her skills into the spotlight.

She ended up receiving serval college offers and talks of scholarships. Not to mention, people started knowing her name around the swimming circuit (this time in a good way). The insane incident was over and she could finally focus on her dreams again.

The Low Blow

She stands alone looking around at everyone enjoying their meals. Feeling content, she notices a waitress coming straight towards her. She welcomes her with a warm smile. But her smile is not reciprocated.

Instead, what’s waiting to meet her will impact the very depths of her psyche, crushing her confidence and pregnancy for days to come.

Charisha Raylee Gobin

Charisha Raylee Gobin is a mother-of-four from Marysville, Washington. With two boys and two girls, Charisha and her husband had been excited for the arrival of two more family members as they were having twins.

As enthusiastic and dedicated parents, they always dreamt of having a big family but never expected their plans could lead to this.

A Mom’s Life

Being a mom of four, Charisha never has time for herself. And now, with her twin pregnancy, she was more tired than ever.

Although she loved being pregnant and being a mother to her beautiful children, she still found it exhausting at times. She couldn’t remember the last time she did something for herself but that was about to change.

A Gentle Nudge

One day, she received a call from her mom and sister. They were trying to persuade Charisha to take a break from mom life and go out with them for a girl’s night.

Immediately, Charisha rejected their offer to take her out. She wasn’t feeling well and wanted to rest, not go out. She was 7 months pregnant after all, but her family persisted.

A Mom In Need

They convinced her that resting and going out, away from the constant need of her kids were the same thing and exactly what she needed. Being a mom is work, and she was working 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Charisha realized they were right. But what they didn’t know is that something would go horribly wrong.

A Growing Pain

It was a few hours before Charisha and her mom and sister were to head out for a night of fun. Changing from one outfit to the next, Charisha felt so uncomfortable.

She had no idea what to wear as so many of her clothes didn’t fit her right. But that’s not all that was causing her discomfort.

Mysterious Ache

Like every other pregnant woman, her back was sore and her belly ached. But there was something else, a constant dull pain. And it was starting to make her worry.

It had felt like this for 2 hours now. Should she be taking this more seriously? What if something was wrong? Anxious, she called her mom.

False Alarm

Her mom asked her what it felt like, and she explained. Laughing, her mom asked her when was the last time she had eaten?

Charisha laughed along when she realized she’s just really hungry. She had been saving herself from eating out. Her cravings for meat were so intense that it’s all she wants so she decided to have her fill tonight. Or so she thought.

Unfortunate Excitement

Finally deciding on an outfit, Chrisha and the girls headed towards Buzz Inn Steakhouse. A restaurant they have been to many times so they knew the menu would have all the meat Charisha could ever ask for.

Getting out of the car, Charisha felt good for the first time in what felt like years. Little did she know, she was so excited for a meal that had disastrous consequences.

The Arrival

 

Charisha walks through the restaurant doors with her mom and sister. As they walk to the hostess and ask for their seat, Charisha falls behind. She looks around the restaurant.

This is the first time she’s been at a restaurant without having to be on high alert with kids hanging off her side. She can finally relax, but something tells her not yet.

An Unfriendly Welcome

As she looks at everyone enjoying their meal and drinks, a waitress walks towards her. With her mom and sister making their way to the seat, Charisha thinks the waitress must think she’s not with them.

Charisha welcomes her with a smile, ready to explain but her smile isn’t reciprocated. Instead, the waitress looks her up and down with disdain before she speaks.

Health Code Violation

The waitress immediately asked her to leave. Confused, Charisha asked her to repeat herself. The waitress explained that she was dressed inappropriately, breaking their ‘no shoes, no shirts, no service’ policy.

Charisha asked if she was being serious, the waitress replied “yup, you can’t be here”. Feeling upset, angry and embarrassed, Charisha and her family left with revenge on their mind.

Ashamed And Embarrassed

Charisha was wearing a white long flowy skirt and a black crop top that exposed her pregnant belly. She looked like every other crop-top-wearing trendy woman if it were not for her pregnancy.

Feeling humiliated and wrong done by, Charisha didn’t sit idly by. Taking to Facebook, she posted about the ordeal and uploaded her picture. The response was overwhelming.

Taking A Stand

She captioned her photo, “I was just denied service at the Buzz Inn on State Avenue in Marysville for my outfit. I’m violating the health code”.

Tonnes of support flooded in for Charisha. The discussion around pregnancy and appropriate dressing soon went viral and sparked outrage.

A Reason To Rejoice!

Buzz Inn Steakhouse released a statement apologizing for the ordeal. But Charisha says, “It’s pretty ridiculous I was shamed in the first place and had to drive across town to eat”… “Our bodies aren’t just toys, they’re for a purpose and I think it’s a beautiful purpose”.

Charisha’s message is important. Body shaming should be left in the past and we’re sure Charisha now eats at much more pregnancy-friendly restaurants!