My name is Shauna, and I’ve been single for a while now. I don’t mind it—I actually enjoy my freedom and independence. I have a close group of friends, all of whom are married, and we’ve been talking about planning a beach weekend for months. When we finally made it happen, I was thrilled. I thought it would be full of sunshine, laughs, and good memories.

There were seven of us in total—me, three of my close girlfriends, and their husbands. I’ve known these women for years, and we’ve always gotten along really well. I didn’t think twice about what I packed. I threw in my favourite bikini, some sunscreen, and a few beach reads. I never imagined it would lead to something that would leave me feeling so excluded.
The moment everything shifted.

We arrived, set up our chairs and umbrellas, and got ready to relax. When I took off my top and revealed my bikini, I immediately noticed a shift in energy. The conversation grew quieter. The husbands looked anywhere but at me. My friends—who are all beautiful, more voluptuous women—were wearing one-pieces or flowy cover-ups. I suddenly felt like I stood out in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

A little while later, one of my friends, Lacey pulled me aside. She smiled and, half-laughing, asked, “Hey, do you have something a little less… revealing?” I honestly thought she was joking, so I laughed too. I told her this was all I brought, and we moved on. The rest of the day felt mostly normal—at least on the surface. We swam, snacked, played games. But that uncomfortable moment lingered in the back of my mind.