An apartment complex in Seymour, Tennessee brought some unwanted attention upon itself by bringing unwanted attention to one of its residents. Someone took issue with a young woman’s bathing suit and it was made public by her fiancé’s Facebook post.
Twenty-year-old Tori Jenkins and her fiancé Tyler Newman arrived at Smoky Crossing’s pool to hang out with some friends, some of whom are also residents. According to Tyler, they were there less than five minutes when Tori was singled out for her one-piece pink swimsuit. She was told she had to change, cover up, or leave the premises.
Why? Apparently, she was told that her bathing suit was a “thong suit” and inappropriate attire for the pool. Moreover, they stated they were receiving complaints about what she was wearing, so she needed to rectify the situation. Upset and embarrassed, Tori decided to speak to someone privately in the leasing office.
That’s where things got worse. Here’s an excerpt of what Tyler shared:
“Tori decided to go to the apartment office, which I regret not accompanying her on, and address the issue politely and calmly with the leasing consultant about the situation in a more private setting. In the office, the leasing consultant (who, for now, I will not name) insisted upon letting Tori take her picture to show ‘how inappropriate’ her bathing suit was, and instructed her to look into a mirror at her own body. When my fiancée replied with ‘I know what I look like, I bought this myself, it’s not a thong’ the consultant told Tori that if she didn’t have kids herself, she wouldn’t understand. She was told that the leasing consultant wouldn’t want her own kids around Tori. When Tori explained that yes, she does indeed have a larger butt than a lot of people, and that 95% of the things she wears ride up when she walks, the woman told Tori that a ‘normal bathing suit covers your entire butt’ and again deemed my fiancée’s body inappropriate.”
Tori attempted to defend herself to no avail, but the staff person continued:
“She was told I wasn’t allowed to spray tanning lotion on parts of her body that she can’t reach because the consultant insisted that she could reach them herself. She was told that her body, because it’s built more curvy than others is ‘too inappropriate’ for children to be around. She was told ‘there are a lot of teenage boys in this complex, and you don’t need to excite them’.”
Upset himself, Tyler decided to post his views on the situtation:
“Today my fiancée was told that she is less important than how men feel around her. That Tori is less important than a man’s urges to be sexual towards her. I think she’s the most beautiful woman in the world, but I also respect her. I would never make her or any other woman feel less than what she’s worth because of her outfit or her looks. This is how rape culture continues to grow.
My fiancée being told she should cover up on a 90 degree day in our own apartment pool because she will ‘excite teenage boys’ is bull****. I will not stand for this. My fiancée should be able to wear a bathing suit without being sexualized and demeaned. She shouldn’t feel violated.”
After making headlines for this story, the apartment complex released its own statement:
“Smoky Crossing is a welcoming family community. Multiple residents within our community complained and expressed concerns regarding Ms. Jenkins’s swimwear. In accordance with our pool policies, which are posted near the swimming area, one of our leasing consultants requested Ms. Jenkins wrap a towel around herself when she was walking around the pool.
Ms. Jenkins was never asked to leave the pool. In addition, our leasing agent did not state that Ms. Jenkins swimwear would ‘excite teenage boys.’”
Watch this video to see the swimsuit yourself and to hear more about Tori and Tyler’s experience. Hey, we know that it’s common for some swimsuits to wander upwards while walking. We also know that private pools have their own rules. Your thoughts? How do you think this should have been handled?