The Low Blow
She stands alone looking around at everyone enjoying their meals. Feeling content, she notices a waitress coming straight towards her. She welcomes her with a warm smile. But her smile is not reciprocated.
Instead, what’s waiting to meet her will impact the very depths of her psyche, crushing her confidence and pregnancy for days to come.
Charisha Raylee Gobin
Charisha Raylee Gobin is a mother-of-four from Marysville, Washington. With two boys and two girls, Charisha and her husband had been excited for the arrival of two more family members as they were having twins.
As enthusiastic and dedicated parents, they always dreamt of having a big family but never expected their plans could lead to this.
A Mom's Life
Being a mom of four, Charisha never has time for herself. And now, with her twin pregnancy, she was more tired than ever.
Although she loved being pregnant and being a mother to her beautiful children, she still found it exhausting at times. She couldn’t remember the last time she did something for herself but that was about to change.
A Gentle Nudge
One day, she received a call from her mom and sister. They were trying to persuade Charisha to take a break from mom life and go out with them for a girls night.
Immediately, Charisha rejected their offer to take her out. She wasn’t feeling well and wanted to rest, not go out. She was 7 months pregnant afterall, but her family persisted.
A Mom In Need
They convinced her that resting and going out, away from the constant need of her kids were the same thing and exactly what she needed. Being a mom is work, and she was working 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Charisha realised they were right. But what they didn’t know is that something would go horribly wrong.
A Growing Pain
It was a few hours before Charisha and her mom and sister were to head out for a night of fun. Changing from one outfit to the next, Charisha felt so uncomfortable.
She had no idea what to wear as so many of her clothes didn’t fit her right. But that’s not all that was causing her discomfort.
Mysterious Ache
Like every other pregnant woman, her back was sore and her belly ached. But there was something else, a constant dull pain. And it was starting to make her worry.
It had felt like this for 2 hours now. Should she be taking this more seriously? What if something was wrong? Anxious, she called her mom.
False Alarm
Her mom asked her what it felt like, and she explained. Laughing, her mom asked her when was the last time she had eaten?
Charisha laughed along when she realised she’s just really hungry. She had been saving herself for eating out. Her cravings for meat were so intense that it’s all she wants so she decided to have her fill tonight. Or so she thought.
Unfortunate Excitement
Finally decided on an outfit, Chrisha and the girls headed towards Buzz Inn Steakhouse. A restaurant they have been to many times so they knew the menu would have all the meat Charisha could ever ask for.
Getting out of the car, Charisha felt good for the first time in what felt like years. Little did she know, she was so excited for a meal that had disastrous consequences.
The Arrival
Charisha walks through the restaurant doors with her mom and sister. As they walk to the hostess and ask for their seat, Charisha falls behind. She looks around the restaurant.
This is the first time she’s been at a restaurant without having to be on high alert with kids hanging off her side. She can finally relax, but something tells her not yet.
An Unfriendly Welcome
As she looks at everyone enjoying their meal and drinks, a waitress walks towards her. With her mom and sister making their way to the seat, Charisha thinks the waitress must think she’s not with them.
Charisha welcomes her with a smile, ready to explain but her smile isn’t reciprocated. Instead the waitress looks her up and down with disdain before she speaks.
Health Code Violation
The waitress immediately asked her to leave. Confused, Charisha asked her to repeat herself. The waitress explained that she was dressed inappropriately, breaking their ‘no shoes, no shirts, no service’ policy.
Charisha asked if she was being serious, the waitress replied “yup, you can’t be here”. Feeling upset, angry and embarrassed, Charisha and her family left with revenge on their mind.
Ashamed And Embarrassed
Charisha was wearing a white long flowy skirt and black crop top that exposed her pregnant belly. She looked like every other crop-top-wearing trendy woman if it were not for her pregnancy.
Feeling humiliated and wrong done by, Charisha didn’t sit idly by. Taking to facebook, she posted about the ordeal and uploaded her picture. The response was overwhelming.
Taking A Stand
She captioned her photo, “I was just denied service at the Buzz Inn on State Avenue in Marysville for my outfit. I’m violating the health code”.
Tonnes of support flooded in for Charisha. The discussion around pregnancy and appropriate dressing soon went viral and sparked outrage.
A Reason To Rejoice!
Buzz Inn Steakhouse released a statement apologising for the ordeal. But Charisha says, “It's pretty ridiculous I was shamed in the first place and had to drive across town to eat”... “Our bodies aren’t just toys, they’re for a purpose and I think it’s a beautiful purpose”.
Charisha’s message is important. Body shaming should be left in the past and we’re sure Charisha now eats at much more pregnancy-friendly restaurants!