Government Urges Catalonia Public Pools to Allow Women to Go Topless

The Catalan Government has reminded public pools that they cannot ban women from wearing topless in the pool.

The regional government of Catalonia has decreed that women must be allowed to swim topless in public pools.

Since 2020, the Catalan law on equality has made it a legal requirement that women can swim without tops.

Several public pools continue to refuse entry to women exercising this right.

The Department of Equality and Feminism of the Catalan Government has sent a letter to all town and city councils informing them of their duty to allow topless swimmers of any gender.

Telling women not to go topless "excludes part of the population and violates the free choice of each person with regard to their body," the letter mentions.

"Local authorities must defend against discrimination for any motive... including sex or gender, religious convictions or dress."

If pools fail to adhere to the law on equality, they could be fined EUR500,000.

If you are planning to travel to Spain, you should pack a swimsuit. But don't worry if the top is missing.

What has been the reaction of people to the new topless swimming rules?

The Feminist Group Mugrons Lliures has welcomed this decision.

"This is a gender equality issue: Men could [go topless] and women couldn't," spokeswoman Mariona Trabal emphasized.

"We don't know why they have taken so long, but we are very happy."

Some pool-goers also share this opinion.

"I would go topless, of course I would, and many times I have been told to cover up," one female Spanish swimmer said to EBU.

"Everyone should be free to go without a top if they don`t feel like it, I understand that in a private pool you are subject to what the owner decides, but in public pools we have to go the same for men and women," someone else agreed.

"If they don't wear a top, we don't have to wear one either."

Last year, the left-leaning Catalan Government launched a campaign to normalise women wearing topless clothing if they choose to.

"The sexualisation of women starts when they are young, and it accompanies us all our lives. That we must cover up our breasts in some spaces is proof," a video from within the campaign mentioned.

Source: euronews.com