Society has a collective image of what a mother should be and how she should conduct herself. They also have preconceived notions about the things they should and should not do.
Sadly, these images are sexist, dated, and often comes from a bad place. And mom Lexi Sinclair is sick of it.
In an honest Facebook post, she recalls the time when she took her son to the pool and some random woman began schooling her about how a mother should look in public.
“So today I took my 4 month old son to the pool,” her post begins. “While putting Christians pool hat on, a woman (maybe mid 50s) comes up and makes conversation with me about Christian.”
At first the woman seemed to be curious about Lexi’s son, but soon it became apparent that it was actually just a prelude to her lecture.
“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.’”
Describing herself as a “crazy, ballsy woman,” Lexi said some few choice words to the offending woman.
Read Lexi's full message on the next page
She said:
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 a** what other men, or a prissy twit like you think. Have a nice day though.
On top of having to carry their unborn children in their wombs for nine months, new mothers have a lot of challenges that they are facing and will soon face.
Pregnancy is a wrought time for any woman, a time when their self-esteem plummets and their mood swings vacillate between two extremes, a time where they’re often suffering from one discomfort to another.
The last thing they want to hear is that their bodies aren’t pleasant to look at—however which way it is phrased.
A woman can wear whatever she wants and when she wants it. After all, it’s their body, not other people's.
In her Scary Mommy story, Valerie Williams sympathizes, saying that she used to be so conscious of her up and down scar from her C-section, of her stretch marks.
“But over the last few years, I’ve gotten into the best shape of my life and while I’ll never be perfect, I’m proud of how I look,” she said. “The idea that anyone thinks just because I’m a mother I shouldn’t wear a bikini makes me rage. No one decides what’s appropriate for me to wear but me.”
READ: The powerful C-section scar photo that got the world talking
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