Every Crinkle Counts: Reflections on Going Public with My Yoga Story

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I wasn’t planning to go viral on Reddit.
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I should hit “post.”

Part of me kept saying, don’t do it, you’ll regret it.
Another part whispered, just tell the truth.

So I did.
I wrote what I needed to say:

“I do yoga in diapers and plastic baby pants. I’m still figuring out how to wear short shorts or leggings without feeling like I don’t belong.”

Then I clicked “post.”
And immediately felt sick.

What if no one gets it?
What if people laugh?
What if I’ve just ruined everything by being honest?

But then—
it happened.

Love. Kindness. Humor. Vulnerability. Encouragement.
Over 64,000 views. More than 430 upvotes. Dozens and dozens of comments.

Some from people who live with incontinence.
Some from yoga teachers.
Fellow students.
People with prosthetics.
People who’ve wrestled with body shame.
And even strangers who just wanted to say, “You’re valid.”

I cried. More than once.
I laughed, too (someone literally said she tossed her prosthetic boob into her gym bag mid-class — legend).
I sat in shock.
I scrolled the comments late at night, feeling more held by strangers than I ever expected to be.

Here’s what I keep circling back to:

  1. Yoga really is for every body.
    Not just “every body” as a nice phrase. I mean it. Pads, prostheses, ostomy bags, diapers — all of it. The point isn’t overcoming. The point is showing up.

  2. Outfits don’t fix me — but they help me feel brave.
    I’ve tried everything: black yoga pants, high-rise leggings, mint short shorts, breezy harem pants. Nothing makes the crinkle disappear. But some clothes make me feel more graceful, more me. And that’s enough.

  3. People notice way less than I thought.
    And when they do? Half the time it’s admiration, not judgment.
    “Yoga class isn’t a fashion show,” someone said. “It’s a human experience.”
    Yes. Exactly that.

  4. I’m still just Alice.
    I even said this in a follow-up comment: “I’m still showing up as Alice — thick diapers, plastic pants, shorts or leggings and all — just doing my best to find balance on the mat.”
    That’s it. That’s all I can be.

  5. Every crinkle counts.
    The phrase stuck. It’s silly, it’s sweet, it’s true.
    Every crinkle when I sit in child’s pose.
    Every squeak of plastic under my shorts.
    Every step into the studio.
    It all counts. It’s all part of the practice now.

If you’ve been scared to try class — whether it’s because of incontinence, body shame, or just the voice that says “yoga isn’t for people like you” — please, please hear me:

It is for you.
You are welcome.
And softness really is strength.

I’ll keep showing up.
One diaper. One crinkle. One class at a time.

Want to read the original thread?
I shared a version of this story on Reddit, and the response was… overwhelming in the most beautiful way. If you’re curious or want to join the conversation, you can find it here. Every Crinkle Counts: Reflections on Going Public with My Yoga Story

—Alice
Proudly padded. Softly confident.

#AliceInYogaPants #ProudlyPadded #SoftlyConfident #SelfAcceptance #OutfitDiary #ToteBagDiaries #VisibleHealing #SoftnessIsStrength 


Location: Southern Pines, NC, USA

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