They Couldn’t Believe It
The final decision would be delivered with the judge's mallet. She was left watching as her win slipped through her fingers.
She and her coach were both taken aback by the verdict. She had trained for countless hours, and it was all for nothing. Despite the fact that she did nothing wrong, she was nonetheless disqualified. She was embarrassed and then irate. What was to come was unknown to them.
She Loved It
Breckynn Willis loved being in the water more than anything else in the world. She needed to spend every single day in the pool; otherwise, she would lose her mind.
Willis already had lofty goals of receiving a scholarship and someday competing in the Olympics when she was just 17 years old. She thus participated in all tournaments that she could. But she was unaware that things would ultimately go horribly wrong.
Popular Student
As a swimmer for Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska, Breckynn was among the best. It was an admirable combination of hard work and natural talent!
Despite her popularity, Breckynn got along well with the majority of her teachers as well. There was a lot of fondness for her, but jealousy usually flourishes where there is a lot of affection...
Competition
The spectator areas by the pool were crowded with people and personnel eager to watch the action in the indoor space, which was strongly chlorinated.
It was amazing how exhilarated she was when her name was called out to compete in her favorite event, the 100-meter freestyle. The quality of her swimming wasn't important to one judge. There was no way she could succeed.
Frustration
The towel was tucked around Breckynn's waist. When she comprehended what the referee had just said to her, her heart began to race. Despite her best efforts to remain composed, her coach had enough.
She snarled, "You can't be serious!" The referee stayed unimpressed by her harsh language as she proceeded t scold him. Breckynn had never been so desperate to leave a place.
It Was Amazing
Upon hearing the whistle, she knew her time had come. There was a sense of readiness in every part of her body. For her, it came naturally.
Her performance was flawless. It was the best swimming she had ever done in her entire career. It was clear to her. The feeling was incredible! As she reached the end of the pool, she regained her footing and pulled herself out of the water. She was stunned by what followed.
She Felt Nervous
She emerged from the pool while beaming brightly. Her friends applauded her while watching from the stands. They shouted and got up in celebration of her success.
Breckynn dried herself off with her towel. Wrapping it around her waist as she awaited the results, she was filled with a sense of anxious anticipation.
An Uncomfortable Situation
It was hard for her to tell how she did by looking at the referee and judges. She was surprised to see their faces. There was a heated discussion between them. There was a distinct look of disgust on the referee's face.
The way she looked at her up and down caught Breckynn's attention. She turned her attention back to the notes in front of her and shook her head in disgust. A sudden feeling of self-consciousness overcame Breckynn.
Horrible News
“What was that about?” she thought. As she wondered if something went wrong, her mind raced. Suddenly, a loudspeaker announcement interrupted her thoughts: "Breckynn Willis of Diamond High School has been disqualified.”
What she just heard left her speechless. In her mind, the words echoed. Could this really be happening? Despite her best efforts, her coach seemed equally as confused as she was.
Anxiety
Her coach, Lauren Langly, approached the referee with a red face. Her blood was boiling.
The referee gestured at Breckynn as her coach was scolding her. Breckynn was filled with confusion, and everything got overwhelming really fast. She felt like she was on the verge of tears.
Confusion
She then heard, “You can’t be serious.” And that was the end of it. She knew she had to do something regarding this.
Breckynn was beyond confused. She knew she did not receive any penalties during her swim, but based on the referee’s facial expression; something was very wrong. Never in a million years could she have anticipated what the true problem was.
Rage
Breckynn began approaching the referee to challenge her decision, but as she neared, she could hear bits and pieces of their conversation. Her face turned bright red from rage.
She heard, clear as day, the referee say, “The girl’s swimsuit was so far up I could see butt cheek touching butt cheek,” while looking disgusted. They then saw her approaching.
Humiliation
“Let’s go. Tell me what happened?” she inquired. “Nevermind, let’s go,” her coach demanded; however, Breckynn wasn't ready to give up on this.
She knew exactly what they were saying about her, and she felt humiliated. There was no telling who could hear what the referee said about her, but she knew it was quite a few people. Her shame was evolving into anger.
Calling Her Out
Breckynn walked away from her coach with one goal in mind. She approached the referee and questioned her again. “What happened? Why did you disqualify me?”
She wanted to hear the words coming from her mouth. She wanted to make the horrible adult repeat what she said about her, a 17-year-old who everyone knew was devoted to the sport. She began to speak.
Unbelievable
She talked without any remorse. Breckynn found this woman unbelievable. This wasn't the 1920s! She wouldn't let her off the hook for doing this.
The girl was apparently disqualified from the tournament because the referee thought she was exposing too much skin and believed she had purposely zipped up her swimsuit to be more provocative. But it didn't end there.
No Way Of Avoiding It
Breckynn was taken aback. Every girl who competed in the tournament was wearing an identical suit.
The skin had a purpose as well. Everyone experiences a "swimmer's wedgie," as they are known. Even experienced swimmers are aware of the sensation and their discomfort. No one would purposefully do this. The actual cause, though, would soon become clear.
Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands
Coach Lauren Langford took to social media following the decision and also filed an official complaint with the Alaska School Activities Association.
But the response was just as unsatisfactory as the initial complaint. It comes out that the referee had chosen to specifically target Breckynn for a repulsive purpose. Consequently, she was going to let everyone know.
The Sad Truth
Her curvy figure and mixed-race heritage made her stand out from the other teammates.
For the majority of people, it could appear impossible to notice, but once the specifics were revealed, it was unfortunately believable. The facts ultimately proved to be beyond dispute and ignited a fierce wave of fury. Why?
Not The Only One
She performed excellently in her 100m freestyle while wearing standard uniform suits. She looked very similar to two other girls.
The solution ultimately lay with her sister, another swimmer. She and her sister were the only team members who had been expelled due to their appearance. Everyone concerned was enraged once they realized the reason. Breckynn was prepared to argue her case.
It Was Obvious
Coach Lauren Langford was boiling with rage when she shared her statement 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.”
Referee Jill Blackstone claimed that the disqualification was the result of a new "modesty rule," but the truth became increasingly obvious.
It Was Not Fair
Every female was provided with brand-new, basic swimsuits as part of the new "modesty" regulation, but Breckynn was called out because the referee, Jill Blackstone, didn't particularly like how the suit looked on the girl's rounder, full-figured shape.
Although it was her word versus Blackford's, it was exactly what coach Langford had anticipated. The referee was unaware that Lauren had evidence, though. Breckynn instructed her to take it further.
Singling Them Out
Lauren described the situation in a blog post. The truth would eventually come out. The school's new "modesty" regulations were only intended to regulate the bodies of young females.
She felt that Beckynn, her sister, and other girls of color had been the targets of a planned campaign throughout the entire ordeal. The nasty core of it all was one horrific occurrence in particular.
Speaking Up
“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 shared.
“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.”
Injustice
“These young swimmers aren’t being punished for wearing their suits in scandalous or provocative ways,” she 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 there was more to it.
It Was Unbelievable
Coach Langford described another situation that had happened recently. Shockingly, one of the parents had discreetly snapped pictures of Breckynn's bottom when she was in a swimsuit and had sent them to other parents and instructors through email!
“Uniform violation!” the parent shared, and someone later overheard them stating the following "that for the sake of their sons, the mother of these young ladies should cover up her daughters."
Gaining Traction
The coach concluded her message.: “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 didn't take long for Coach Langford's message to gain popularity. Even though the problem with the referee was being looked into, it didn't take long for the Anchorage school system to be forced to take a position regarding the matter.
She Went Viral
In the meantime, Beckynn revealed the horrific tale to the community. Kelly Clarkson learned about the incident and extended an invitation to the athlete and her coach to make an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Everyone who watched the clip felt appalled as well, and several people immediately took to the comments area to highlight the terrible facts.
Body-Shaming Her
On Reddit, the article went viral, and users referred to it as obvious body-shaming.
“This is a talented girl who just wants to swim. Can people stop sexualizing her body and shaming her for her curves now, please? I can’t imagine how humiliated she must feel when ultimately her only crime was winning.”
Disrespectful
The user continued: “Teenage girls ought to be able to swim naked if they choose, and no one should bat an eyelid. You shouldn’t sexualize any women because we’re all humans worthy of respect, but especially not underage women!”
Several Reddit users were dismayed by the parent who had circulated photos of Beckynn to other parents without her consent.
A Much Larger Problem
“This is disgusting and part of a culture that teaches girls that regardless of what they look like, their bodies are not for them but for other people. In what mindset is it okay for an adult man to take pictures of a teenager going about her daily life?” another Redditor commented.
The incident resurrected horrible memories for some Reddit users, who remarked on the matter.
The Struggle
“This is a serious problem. Personally, as a minority who was rounder and curvier, I struggled for similar reasons. My hip to waist ratio was caricatured when I was in high school, and it was not seen as a positive thing,” a female user shared.
“Now I feel that women with such a dramatic shape in their butt are more often than not more sexualized than other women, due to the modern crazy in regards to having a tiny waist and a big butt.” Her reflections on the subject, however, didn't stop there.
She Is Not At Fault
“It is neither her fault that she is curvy, nor is it her fault that men may stare at her for the aforementioned feature. It is shameful and disgraceful and something that I strongly relate to. I feel that a lot of the time as a minority.”
“But let's be real, she was punished for winning while being a minority. That's the real issue. Trying to find an excuse to strip her of the way because they are upset that the wrong person won.” It appears that this issue extends beyond simple body-shaming.
Protests
“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??” Another 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 shared. Would there, however, be any justice?
What She Deserved
Her points and title were restored after the Association overturned the decision.
Then, all staff members and referees received two stern notices. First of all, there could be no presumption regarding official suits, which in many people's eyes would have been clear. Second, and most crucially…
Making Things Right
Obviously, this should have been evident, but unfortunately, a few people needed a refresher that it was both professionally and personally improper to judge a contestant based exclusively on their appearances.
In their tournaments, sexism, racism, and discrimination had no role. The entire experience did, however, have one positive aspect.
A Positive Ending
Her abilities had come to light as a result of the media attention.
She ultimately received numerous college offers and discussions about scholarships. Not to add, she became well-known in the swimming community (this time in a good way). In contrast to the following woman, who had a similarly horrific encounter at a nearby restaurant, the bizarre occurrence was done, and she could happily concentrate on her dreams once more.
A Horrible Experience
She observes everyone eating while standing by herself. She is delighted when she sees a waiter approaching her. She gives her a bright smile, but she doesn't get a smile in exchange.
Instead, what is about to happen to her will have an effect on the very core of her being, shattering both her self-image and her pregnancy for the next several days.
One Big Happy Family
Marysville, Washington resident Charisha Raylee Gobin was a kind mother of four children. She and her husband were excited to learn that they had two more babies on the way and couldn’t wait for their arrival.
They always hoped for a large family because they were passionate and dedicated parents, but they never imagined that their intentions would result in this.
She Needed Alone Time
Charisha has four children, which means that she never gets any time for herself. On top of all that, she was carrying twins, and she was beyond exhausted.
She enjoyed being pregnant and being a mother, but that did not mean that it wasn’t exhausting. The last time she had done something for herself was beyond her memory, but she was planning on changing this.
Getting Out
She got a call from her mother and sister. They were attempting to convince Charisha to abandon motherhood for one night and join them for a ladies night out.
Charisha politely declined their offer. She was not feeling too well, and she knew she needed rest, not a party. Despite the fact that she was seven months pregnant, her family insisted.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
