Woman Arrested for Wearing a Thong at the Beach

Aerial performer and acrobat Sam Panda was enjoying a day in Myrtle Beach last month when she had a run-in with the law.

Panda was approached by police after, in her words, some "Karen" called the cops on her for wearing a bikini.  

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We as women get negativity for our bodies daily. We get slut shamed if we wear small clothing. We get fat shamed if we are too big. We are told we are too tall, too short, too skinny, boobs aren't perfect, butt is too big or too small, too many tattoos, not enough tattoos, unflattering hair colors, cellulite, thick thighs, broad shoulders, hair is too short or too long, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on forever. . Our bodies are constantly under a microscope. On display for anyone to scrutinize, and, if they deem that body inappropriate---they police it. . No one else has a right to my body. No one else has a right to my comfort. No one can tell me that I am inappropriate for simply existing on a beach in a bikini that I chose to wear. Even when police cuff and forcibly detain me, they still don't have the right to my body. . You do not have to let anyone make you feel ashamed for the way you look, and you certainly do not have to stand for it when someone decides to put you in danger for how you dress. . I sure as hell am not going to. I am going to make sure that everyone knows how unacceptable this is. This is not just for me. It's for all women. It's for women of color who don't have the privilege to stand up for themselves to a police officer without worrying about getting murdered. It's for young girls who shouldn't have to grow up thinking that their bodies are bad or wrong. It's for all women who have every right to be comfortable in their own skin and wearing whatever they choose whether they want to wear a thong bikini or a hijab or a white tank top or a ball gown or a leather jacket or yoga pants. I will not allow women feel like they are obligated to dress a certain way because it makes someone else feel more comfortable. Absolutely not. . This is a vulgar use of force, an egregious overuse of power, and it needs to be addressed. . . . . #feminist #female #women #womensupportwomen #womenwholovewomen #strongwomen #comfortableinmyskin #bodypositivity #proudslut #empowerwomen #dontpolicemybody #mybody #bodies #humanrights #womensrights #freedoms #defundthepolice #policeaggression #MyrtleBeachPolice #Policedepartment #Blacklivesmatter #blacktransl

Sam Panda believes he woman who reported her "decided that my body was offensive to her and showed her child that her body could one day lead to her arrest."

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There have been a lot of comments made about me and about bodies and about women all surrounding this incident. Look. You can't police bodies. You can't tell me that my butt isn't big enough or my legs aren't long enough or my face isn't cute enough and so I don't deserve certain things (like the ability to wear this bathing suit). You can't send me messages about "jealous women" who "could never pull off" a bikini like mine or who are "fat and ugly that's why they called the cops." Both of these are wrong. All of your judgement about how women need to look to exist is wrong. We exist. We can look and do and wear whatever makes us comfortable and feel good about ourselves. Whatever that may be, and it's up to us to be proud of what we look like and do and wear. It is not up to us to pass judgement on what anyone else looks like or does or wears. It is not up to us to make the call about what other people can or cannot "pull off." Be kind to each other. Be fucking kind. If it is not your body, it is not your business. . #womenwholovewomen #women #womensrights #supportwomen #lovewomen #female #babes #bodypositivity #empowerwomen #femaleempowerment #slutty #slutpositive #sexuality #sexualpositivity #freedoms #expression #feelgood #babes #queens #feminist #feminism #witches #tattoos #tattooedgirls #thongbikini #mybody #MyrtleBeachPolice #myrtlebeach #thongs #mybodyisntacrime

A post shared by Samantha Panda (@sspanda_) on Aug 4, 2020 at 5:39pm PDT

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