During a Caribbean family vacation, an 18-year-old named Jax was excited to flaunt his new swimsuit. But his father was shocked and had a strong reaction.
When Jax showed up in his skimpy swimwear, his father couldn’t believe his eyes. “That bathing suit is way too revealing,” he said. “You need to get something less sheer when wet.”
Jax went off to shop for a new suit, but his father was puzzled when he returned with another suit that was still quite daring. “See why one parent was appalled by his son’s swimming suit by reading on!” the father posted, hoping for advice.
The father turned to the ‘Am I the A**hole’ subreddit to describe the situation involving his son Jax during their vacation. Jax was celebrating the end of school with a weeklong trip with his parents.
Though Jax is a great kid, his father mentioned that he struggles with confidence—sometimes too much. “He’s an exhibitionist,” the father wrote. “I’ve never seen someone so confident. He’s fit and charming, but sometimes it’s a bit much.”
The father added that Jax is usually endearing and successful when he goes against authority. However, in this instance, things didn’t go as well.
Ship Sets Sail, Outfit Fails
When the family settled into their room, Jax was ready for his first pool day, thinking he would impress the girls. But his father was not impressed.
To put it mildly, Jax’s swimsuit was highly inappropriate. “It was definitely a ‘flaunt it’ kind of suit,” his father said. “I told him to change, but he only packed that one suit for the whole trip. What was he thinking?”
Jax was wearing an AussieBum Speedo-style suit. The brand boasts that these swimsuits have “maximum sheerness when wet” and a “enhancing pouch.” They’re designed to be extra revealing, especially in lighter colors. “If it had been black, I might have let it slide,” the father said. “But baby blue? It was basically see-through.”
Played the ‘Dad Card’
Embarrassed by his son’s choice, the father suggested he buy a more appropriate suit from one of the ship’s shops. Even though Jax was reluctant, he went shopping again and came back with a new suit that was still a bit revealing but much better than the first.
Jax tried to argue, saying, “Can’t I just wear the first one?” But his father insisted he buy something more appropriate, like trunks or board shorts. Jax eventually agreed and bought a new suit.
Jax was upset and even cried, begging to wear his original suit. “I respect his confidence,” the father said, “but there are times and places where that level of showing off isn’t right.”
The father wondered if he was being too strict and asked Redditors for their opinions. “I just wanted him to be decent,” he said. “I felt I had the right to set some rules since I paid for the trip.”
“That is incredibly improper.”
After seeing a picture of Jax’s original suit, most Redditors supported the father. One commenter suggested, “Ask your son if he would be okay if you wore that and sat next to him.” Another added, “I wouldn’t want to see my child’s genitals on vacation, no matter how old they are.”
Opinions on the father’s actions were mixed. Some felt he was right to want more decency, while others thought he was too harsh. One person said, “At first, I thought the father was being unreasonable, but after seeing the picture, I realized how inappropriate it was.”
Another commenter thought Jax was testing his father’s limits: “He probably wouldn’t have said anything if Jax had worn the new suit from the start. But after the first suit, he was already frustrated and more likely to wear shorts.”
The father responded to critics who called him a “prude,” saying, “I’m fine with Speedos, but Jax wanted to push the limits too far. I’m not a prude. If it means I’m a prude for not wanting him to wear that suit in public, then so be it.”
