One brave woman has won a victory for breast cancer survivors everywhere by fighing a ban on women with mastectomies who want to swim topless in Seattle public pools. The woman, 47-year-old Jodi Jaecks, had chemotherapy as well as a double mastectomy last year. The operation left her with a burning sensation in her chest, caused by overstimulated nerves. In order to ease the pain, Jodi wanted to take up swimming. However, Seattle officials told her she would not be allowed to swim unless she had on a bathing suit top. What happened next will make you cheer.

At first, Jodi understood that city officials would want her to cover up, so she looked all over for a suitable bathing suit. However, one pieces were painful; bikini tops were impossible; and tops made for women with masectomies all had fake breasts inside of them. And Jodi says, "I'm never going to fake it. I'm not ashamed of my body."

Good for Jodi. Why should she wear fake boobs so that other people feel more comfortable looking at her? First of all, the woman has been through enough. Second of all, breast cancer, as well as other forms of cancer and health issues, are part of life. So what if children and adults have to look at people who appear different? Do we insist that people without legs put on fake ones before they go outside? Give me a break!

When Jodi then told the parks department she would have to swim topless, they turned her down. So Jodi took her story to the press. After seeing a picture of Jodi in only swim trunks, officials decided that they saw "nothing that would alarm or cause affront to parents or children." Because some people are so affronted by the reality that some people get sick? Insane.

Jodi has been given the green light to swim topless, but the department says other breast cancer survivors will have to be approved on a "case by case" basis. Ridiculous.

Do you think women with mastectomies should be allowed to go topless in public?

 

Image via brownpau/Flickr