Posted on 05/21/2008 9:54:10 PM PDT by WesternCulture
Women will continue to be barred from bathing topless at an indoor pool in the central Swedish town of Enköping following a decision by the town council’s recreation committee on Tuesday.
Prior to the decision, committee member Stefan Brandberg cited concerns about the health of young girls in his opposition to the proposed lifting of the ban.
“We believe that it can contribute to anorexia—there is a risk for that,” he said to the newspaper Expressen.
Monica Hällgren, chair of the Enköping recreation committee, confirmed that one of the central arguments for leaving the ban in place was concern over the potential for topless women bathing to create conditions which could lead to a spike in eating disorders.
“We feel that topless bathing contributes to a preoccupation with people’s bodies and that isn’t something to which we felt the municipality wanted to contribute,” she told The Local.
According to Hällgren, the council had taken up the question after receiving an email from a man who complained that banning topless bathing by women while allowing men to swim bare-chested amounted to discrimination.
The issue of women going topless in public pools has received a great deal of attention in Sweden in recent months after two bare-breasted young women were kicked out of swimming pool in Uppsala last autumn.
Outraged by what they considered discrimination, a group of women in southern Sweden established the Bara Bröst network to demonstrate their solidarity with the women.
The network, whose name translates both as 'Bare Breasts' and 'Just Breasts', was mentioned in the discrimination complaint sent to public officials in Enköping.
However, there was little actual debate when the committee decided that the ban should remain in place.
“It was a unanimous decision,” said Hällgren.
She emphasized that the ban only applies to the town’s one indoor pool and that, as of now there is nothing stopping women from going topless at any municipal outdoor pools.
“I understand why people want to go topless outside when they have the sun to consider,” she added.
“But we couldn’t think of any reason why someone would need to be topless at the indoor pool…it’s a place for families, after all.”
...hahahahaha
Prove it.
Sheesh, what’s the big deal. They’re only breasts. There have been a few times when I’ve gone to the beach (when it wasn’t crowded), laid down on my towel, and (discreetly) taken off the bikini top. I’d put it on again before I got up. With my small size, it’s not like I have much to show anyway.
“Prove it.”
They don’t have to. They are the town council’s recreation committee of Enköping - that means they are infallible:)
The network, whose name translates both as ‘Bare Breasts’ and ‘Just Breasts’, was mentioned in the discrimination complaint sent to public officials in Enköping.
I guess it would be okay as long as they remembered to shave their chests so bees don’t get trapped in the hair...that hurts.
Maybe the private market should step in and offer a private club pool these woman can join.
but how else are they to swim the breaststroke?
You're absolutely right, of course. But there are those folks who, for whatever reason, never got over the (pick one) a) fascination, or b) horror, of seeing bare breasts. The former are mostly (us) males; the latter seem to mostly be females who are themselves uncomfortable with their bodies.
Personally, I like breasts, most are very pleasing to look at (if the bearer doesn't mind), and they are after all, perfectly normal human parts. But as you say, they're only breasts.
> There have been a few times when I’ve gone to the beach (when it wasn’t crowded), laid down on my towel, and (discreetly) taken off the bikini top. I’d put it on again before I got up. With my small size, it’s not like I have much to show anyway.
Don't disparage yourself -- size has nothing to do with beauty, and indeed many of us prefer to look at or be with women who are not top-heavy.
With regard to your tagline ("Being a feminist is all about being a victim. Being an armed woman is all about not being a victim."), I daresay that a good number of the men on this forum might be more likely to notice the make and model of your firearm, before noticing that you didn't have a top on. ;-)
- Bare breasts are something very common at Swedish beaches (Swedish summers are actually rather warm; especially in June and July southern Sweden is sometimes the hottest part of Europe! - this is mainly because of the Gulf Stream). For some reason, certain people over here who view this as something perfectly ok oppose the phenomena of topless INDOOR bathing.
The explanation might be the special relation we Swedes (and Finns) have to nature. Bathing naked in a small forest lake underneath the never setting midsummer sun is an expression of something typically Nordic to us. In such contexts, nudity is more or less a manifestation of individual freedom.
However, there is a completely different aspect of Nordic culture and that is the deeply rooted Nordic version of Lutheranism which in many ways is a culture of collective, absolute control over the individual. The traditional Swedish definition of democratic rights is more or less “Everything is a political matter”. True individual freedom is something potentially dangerous and must be kept away from public surroundings. It could be allowed at your summerhouse in the countryside, but not in the city.
In Sweden, public indoor swimming pools are not viewed as a part of “nature”, it is an “urban” environment, therefore politicians are expected to launch sound rules for it. To most Swedes, (adult) nudity is incompatible with “family” situations taking place in public surroundings. But on the other hand, bathing is something closely associated with “nature” and many women feel that their “breasts are just breasts”. This conflict gives rise to a raging debate in a country that hasn't experienced war for 200 years, everyone is entitled to a Volvo V70 and no politician would ever dream of questioning the trade unions right to participate in shaping the future of IKEA, Ericsson and SAAB.
Swedish topless bathing leads to an increased incidence of moose bites.
No seriously, my sister was bitten by a moose while she was topless bathing.
It is a hidden agenda - the nany state agenda. Gotta keep those body parts out of the wandering eyes of the kiddies - after all, it’s not like a little over half will grow up to have those same kind of parts one day.
“... more likely to notice the make and model of your firearm, before noticing that you didn’t have a top on.”
This involves a complex calculus involving several variables:
* Relative motion detection, (Jiggle Factor.)
* Population density psf, (Juggle Factor.)
* Wife Unit proximity, (Leash Factor.)
* Make/model of the weapon itself, (Shiny Thing Factor.)
“... (they) should have to be approved by a board composed of men.”
Since women are often more critical of each other than men are of women, I suspect that a board composed of women would have higher standards. You would want to have a minimum pass rate, though ...
“I clicked on the link (purely for research purposes) and came across this other story. Swedish professor: ‘Bras cause saggy breasts’. Fair and Balanced reporting even in Sveden?”
- Guess so:D
I wouldn't be among them; you gotta keep your priorities straight.
Yeah, and once the nanny state gets off our backs, we can not only walk around naked, we can have sex in public too. Why not, after all dogs do it. Can’t wait for that great day of freedom.
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