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(Sweden:) Women fight for right to bare breasts
www.thelocal.se ^ | 09/20/2007 | Paul O'Mahony

Posted on 09/20/2007 1:39:33 PM PDT by WesternCulture

Two female students are demanding their rights after they were banned from bathing topless at a swimming pool in Uppsala. If girls are forced to wear bikinis, boys should be too, one of the women told The Local.

Ragnhild Karlsson, 22, and her friend Kristin Karlsson, 21, live on the same corridor in a student residence in the university town. On September 5th they took a trip to the Fyrishov leisure complex, where they decided to hop in for a swim without their bikini tops.

Though the pool was full of swimmers, a female lifeguard eventually caught sight of the bare-breasted women and reached for her whistle.

"We had been swimming for a while without anybody paying us any attention when the guards called us to the side and told us to either put on a top or leave. So we left," Ragnhild Karlsson told The Local.

On Wednesday, the two women sent a letter to the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman explaining that they saw no reason for men an women to be treated differently. If anything, a bikini top could be accused of drawing unnecessary attention to a woman's breasts.

"It's a question of equality. I think it's a problem that women are sexualized in this way. If women are forced to wear a top, shouldn't men also have to?"

The two friends said they were surprised when they were approached by the lifeguards.

"We thought it was against the law to treat people differently," said Ragnhild Karlsson, who is studying to be a speech therapist. Her friend Kristin aims to practice occupational therapy.

Staff at the pool later referred to studies showing that crimes of a sexual nature were particularly common in swimming pool environments.

"Surely women should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they need protecting. And is it not strange that women should somehow bear responsibily for sex crimes carried out by men," said Ragnhild Karlsson.

But a spokeswoman for the leisure complex stood by their decision not to allow the women to bathe topless.

"Swimming pools generally require men to wear swimming trunks and women to wear either bikinis or one piece swimsuits," Inger Grotteblad told The Local.

"There are three reasons for this. First, there is a security aspect, then there is a hygiene issue and finally there is what we call 'prevailing manners and customs'. It is above all this last point which is important here," she added.

She also pointed out that the swimming complex always needed to bear in mind the preferences of its guests.

"We have a lot of visitors here, ranging from families with children to the elderly. We also have people from different ethnic backgrounds. We want all of them to be able to enjoy themselves when they come here.

"This issue is new to us and we welcome the debate. It is important that everybody gets to voice their opinion, from families with children to naturists, older people and Muslim women. We have asked our governing body to look into this and hope they will come back to us with recommendations," said Grotteblad.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: feminism; nudity; sbt; scandinavia; sweden; swedishbikiniteam; swimwear
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To: Popman

I must say this tread lived up to my expections for FR.
Well done lads.


61 posted on 09/20/2007 2:08:52 PM PDT by Kozak (Anti Shahada: There is no god named Allah, and Muhammed is a false prophet)
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To: dfwgator

I dont’ want to see anyone nude but those who want to go nude as you said are the very ones we don’t want to see nude. Some things are better left covered on men and women.


62 posted on 09/20/2007 2:11:00 PM PDT by cubreporter
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To: Popman; doodad

See post #51. On second look, I guess it was an “if you want to look thin, hang around fat people” kind of first reaction.


63 posted on 09/20/2007 2:11:11 PM PDT by Freedom_no_exceptions (No actual, intended, or imminent victim = no crime. No exceptions.)
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To: WesternCulture

A second realization that I have lived too long.


64 posted on 09/20/2007 2:11:18 PM PDT by dforest (Duncan Hunter is the best hope we have on both fronts.)
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To: clamper1797
These two didnt get hit with the ugly stick.



The friggen tree fell on 'em.

Cheers,

knewshound

http://www.knewshound.blogspot.com/
65 posted on 09/20/2007 2:11:23 PM PDT by knews_hound (In order to not be banned, I no longer discuss Politics here.)
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To: Popman

I was fine with it until the pics, they needed to be arrested.


66 posted on 09/20/2007 2:11:29 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: DeFault User

If you look closely, you'll see a bear butt!

67 posted on 09/20/2007 2:13:23 PM PDT by Enterprise (Those who "betray us" also "Betray U.S." They're called DEMOCRATS!)
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To: Popman

68 posted on 09/20/2007 2:13:56 PM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Still Championship U)
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To: Popman

YIKES! you ruined my fantasy!!


69 posted on 09/20/2007 2:14:56 PM PDT by Kurt_Hectic (Trust only what you see, not what you hear)
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To: dfwgator

You called that one! See post #31... Ugh!


70 posted on 09/20/2007 2:15:40 PM PDT by Tallguy (Climate is what you plan for, weather is what you get.)
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To: PBRSTREETGANG
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
71 posted on 09/20/2007 2:16:44 PM PDT by Tatze (I'm in a state of taglinelessness!)
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To: Billthedrill
(Sigh!) You’d figure 22 and Swedish would be a pretty good bet. You’d be wrong.

The summer camp where I had a maintenance job at 16 had many international older campers, counselors, and staff. I probably flirted with the Swedish contingency the least. Oh well.

72 posted on 09/20/2007 2:17:03 PM PDT by Freedom_no_exceptions (No actual, intended, or imminent victim = no crime. No exceptions.)
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To: Kurt_Hectic; All
YIKES! you ruined my fantasy!!

To all, sorry I ruined your afternoon fantasy about two Swedish babes going topless

Here's a substitute photo, disregard the two bagger photo


73 posted on 09/20/2007 2:20:29 PM PDT by Popman (Nothing + Time + Chance = The Universe ---------------------Bridge in Brooklyn for sale - Cheap)
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To: PBRSTREETGANG

They are free to do so right here in this neighborhood if they’d like to stop by ~ friend of mine has a swimming pool ~ they’re from France too ~ and are used to this sort of thing eh!


74 posted on 09/20/2007 2:20:50 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: WesternCulture

66 posts and no Helen Thomas photo. Amazing.


75 posted on 09/20/2007 2:21:15 PM PDT by Doomonyou (Let them eat lead.)
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To: Kurt_Hectic

Will this pic of Ann Margaret help?

76 posted on 09/20/2007 2:21:54 PM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Still Championship U)
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To: WesternCulture

“We had been swimming for a while without anybody paying us any attention.....except for all the guys with woodies in their swim trunks....


77 posted on 09/20/2007 2:21:59 PM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: Freedom_no_exceptions

On the other hand, a friend of mine in California had a 23 year old Swedish Au Pair for his kids. Total knock out ( who had to be reminded not to sunbath topless by the pool, darn it). MY wife could not believe his wife had brought that kind of live in temptation into the house......


78 posted on 09/20/2007 2:23:26 PM PDT by Kozak (Anti Shahada: There is no god named Allah, and Muhammed is a false prophet)
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To: Freedom_no_exceptions

Well, not looking them in the eye was a good preservation instinct on your part, but even then.....


79 posted on 09/20/2007 2:23:51 PM PDT by doodad
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To: WesternCulture
"a female lifeguard eventually caught sight of the bare-breasted women and reached for her whistle."

Yep. Whenever I catch sight of bare-breasted women, I reach for my whistle.

80 posted on 09/20/2007 2:24:18 PM PDT by robertpaulsen
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