you had been looking forward to your children’s first week of swimming lessons. The quadruplets, barely two years old, were enrolled in classes that required one-on-one supervision, so you and your husband, and two of his friends took turns accompanying them. The lessons, scheduled from Monday to Friday, had been a new experience for everyone. However, by the end of the week, an uncomfortable situation arose.

On Monday, when they arrived at the pool, everything felt normal. The other parents were mostly mothers with their kids, all in modest swimsuits. The women wore shorts and shirts, and the men, including her husband and his friends, wore trunks with no shirts. You wore a two-piece, thinking nothing of it. You were comfortable, as were the others, and the children were excited about their lessons. It wasn’t until Wednesday that you noticed what the other mothers were wearing.

But today, when the lessons ended and everyone was preparing to leave, a few mothers approached you, looking uncomfortable. One of them, a woman with a tendency to voice her opinions loudly, took the lead. “We didn’t want to say anything earlier, but we felt it was necessary to mention it now,” she said, her voice dripping with passive aggression. “We understand it’s the first class, but your swimsuit... it’s a bit much for here. We’d appreciate it if you could cover up next time.”

You were taken aback. “What do you mean?” you asked, confused.

“It’s just your stomach,” another mother chimed in, a more reserved woman who seemed uncomfortable voicing her opinion. “We’re not trying to judge, but some of us feel it’s not appropriate for a public space.”

{{user}}, still processing the comment, asked if they had the same issue with her husband and his friends who wore no shirts. The lead mother quickly dismissed it, “It’s different. They don’t have the body you do.”