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Men cry 'sexism' over women-only swimming in Putney

10:00am Friday 5th March 2010 in News By Eleanor Harding

Men cry 'sexism' over women-only swimming Men cry 'sexism' over women-only swimming

The council has been accused of sexism towards men after it introduced women-only swimming sessions at Putney Leisure Centre.

The classes, which have been running on Sunday nights for eight months, have angered some male swimmers hoping to take a weekend dip.

One man, Michael O'Conner, even threatened to run a campaign against what he labelled the council's “misandry”.

He said: “I would like to alert the men of Wandsworth to the sexist, Harmanite takeover of the council.

“I have now been barred from my usual swimming time on Sunday evenings for the ‘crime’ of being a man.”

The council said the 90-minute session was placed on a Sunday because this was the quietest day.

It was introduced after 150 women signed a petition asking for a female-only slot, which has existed in Tooting leisure centre for almost 20 years.

A council spokesman said: “If men want to use a swimming pool at that precise time on a Sunday, then there are three other council-managed pools they could use, increasing to four in the summer, when Tooting Bec Lido is open.”

Comments(4)

Snork says...
10:46am Fri 5 Mar 10

How ridiculous. This is a public swimming pool funded by the public through taxes etc and anyone should be able to go swimming at anytime. How do the council suggest a male Putney resident might get all the way to Tooting Bec Lido on a summer Sunday evening? Oh yes no doubt they expect them to have and use a car adding to the carbon footprint we are so desperately trying to reduce for these councils!!!! Utterly outrageous! Oh and BTW I am a woman. Ladies get real and stop making pointless ridiculous demands!

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paul parmenter says...
8:15am Sat 6 Mar 10

So we now know there are at least 150 sexist females in Putney who think it is acceptable to kick men out of a public facility because of their sex, in order to make way for superior females to enjoy the privilege of swimming exclusively in their own company.

I wonder how many of those 150 women lifted a finger to help build Putney swimming baths.

I don't have to wonder; I already know, as we all do. It was NONE, wasn't it?

I also wonder how many of those 150 women will, at other times and in other places, have no qualms about bleating how women are under-privileged and oppressed by men, and fervently believe in the glass ceiling.

Probably about 150 of them, I would guess.

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Lysander says...
11:34pm Sat 6 Mar 10

Well, lads of SW15 - now it's our turn......which do you think would be the best time/day for US to have the pool all to ourselves with out a single female in sight? A complete female free session for males only. Or with the little girlies object to that on the grounds of blatant sexism, which in their reckoning should be a one way street only.....

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Angela M says...
4:08pm Tue 9 Mar 10

I'm not a feminist, but I can see why a short session of female-only swimming time is a good thing. It's only 90 minutes out of the week - surely that's not disproportionate?

Let's face it, swimwear is as close to naked as you can be in the general public. Being virtually nude around lots of men can make some women feel very uncomfortable. Sometimes it can feel like you're being 'ogled'.

Everyone has a right to use these facilities in a comfortable atmosphere, and for some women that means without the presence of men.

By the way, I can't swim and I hate swimming pools.

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