AN IRISH senator was told by staff she could not enter a shop as she was dressed inappropriately as Ireland baked under a continued heatwave yesterday.
Lynn Ruane, an Independent Senator in Seanad Éireann, took to Twitter yesterday where she voiced her annoyance at being turned away from a Lidl store for wearing a swim suit and sarong despite "men walking around in vests showing just as much skin".
Mr Ruane shared a photograph of her outfit alongside the caption:
"[Lidl Ireland] wants me to wear a different top to shop there apparently.
"As if me wearing a swim suit for a top in the summer is any different to any other little tank top I'd wear."
"Get a grip," she wrote, adding "men walking around in vests showing just as much skin".
Responding to one commenter, Ms Ruane said "I didn't just walk in swim suit only," stating she had a "big coloured sarong around my waist".
"I only wanted bread. Felt so embarrassed".
Mr Ruane revealed she went home and checked the mirror, "berated myself that maybe you could see too much of my upper thigh through my sarong", although as she said "he didn't comment on my bottom half".
Dozens of people replied to Ms Ruanes's post expressing their support, and Lidl's official Twitter page later apologised for the incident, saying it was not company policy, and stated that they would be speaking to the staff involved.
Hi Lynn,thanks for making us aware of this, we’re sorry that this has occurred. This is not our policy & if you’d like to DM us the store name, we will speak to store & regional management to make sure correct procedures are being adhered to.We hope you enjoy the rest of your BH!
— Lidl Ireland (@lidl_ireland) June 1, 2020
Senator Ruane stated that Lidl got into prompt contact with her and that she is "glad they will be communicating their policy with the store and security involved".
But while the incident was dealt with, the Senator admits she has since been the subject of vile classist and sexist commentsfor speaking up.
Last night Ms Ruane wrote: "I receive lots of classest and sexest (sic) comments, especially hen I speak about something that I feel wasnt right. Usually it makes me feel ill, andcious and forces me to be silent when I shouldn't be.
"Today's vile comments coming at me today do just that. Make me feel ill".
Ms Ruane took to Twitter again this morning where she admitted "my heart was heavy going to bed last night" and "there were some tears this morning" after having come across cruel comments about her.
"I don't go looking to read the comments but sometimes people tag me on Facebook under a nasty thread," she wrote.
Thank you all very much, my heart was heavy going to bed last night, there were some tears this morning. I don't go looking to read the comments but sometimes people tag me on Facebook under a nasty tread. I am taking in all your kind words and letting that be what inspires me
— Senator Lynn Ruane (@SenLynnRuane) June 2, 2020
There has also been an outpouring of love and support for Ms Ruane, however, and she thanked those who had reached out in a positive way, saying "I am taking in all your kind words and letting that be what inspires me".
