Couple With Down Syndrome Shamed For Doing This In Public

News | Trending

Couple With Down Syndrome Shamed For Doing This In Public

Niki Wyatt and Samantha Lochrie have been engaged for three years. They're in love and don't care who knows it!

But they ran into a problem at the local youth club when the couple, who both have Down Syndrome, were asked to stop kissing because it was "inappropriate."

Their mothers and full-time carers, Jackie Wyatt and Kim Lochrie, were completely outraged when they found out what happened.

'When I used to go to a youth club you could have a kiss and a cuddle - why should it be any different for them?' asked Jackie.

Kim and Jackie were floored by the youth club's actions. So much so, they started their own club. The JK Club is an 'inclusive Friday night social event' for adults with disabilities.

"We had a bit of a falling out with the club after they said it was 'inappropriate' for Niki and Sam to kiss," says Kim. "We left on the Friday and by the following Monday we had set up this club."

Jackie, Niki's mom, says there is a serious lack of places for people with disabilities to go. "If you have a disability, there's a lot of things out there when you're young. But when you come to adulthood there's nothing there for you."

"The other thing was, we had 23 and 24-year-olds having to go to the same place as kids. We knew we wanted somewhere for the adults to go, so we set it up ourselves," says Jackie.

Now, The JK Club has about 80 visitors every Friday night.

Jackie and Kim found a need in their community and filled it with something people benefit from weekly. For Niki and Samantha to be called "inappropriate" for something we all do is unfair.

Do you think that youth club took a step too far by telling them to stop kissing? Or should they have left Niki and Samantha alone?

Meagan has an intense love for Netflix, napping, and carbs.