Oh please, this is a bit silly don’t you think. What would happen if we had men only swimming times? Or if we had swimming times for white people only who don’t want to share the pool with migrants? Or what about swimming only for fit trim people so no one has to see a fat person? Or conversely we ban all fit people from public exercise so as not to make unfit people feel self conscious? Or while we are at why don’t we just ban men from the world. These are the same people who assume I am a sex offender for taking a video of my young nephews learning to swim to send to their grandparents.

A public swimming pool is for all people men, women, children and families to use. I have no problem in booking lanes etc. but this suggestion would see only women rostered on at the women only times and an inconvience to a great many people. Let private interests build their own facilities at a private expense, and the rest of us will learn to share the pool.

Al, I hope you didn’t sign up for this.

Seriously, I think they need you more than you need them.

Morgan said :

Oh please, this is a bit silly don’t you think. What would happen if we had men only swimming times? Or if we had swimming times for white people only who don’t want to share the pool with migrants? Or what about swimming only for fit trim people so no one has to see a fat person? Or conversely we ban all fit people from public exercise so as not to make unfit people feel self conscious? Or while we are at why don’t we just ban men from the world. These are the same people who assume I am a sex offender for taking a video of my young nephews learning to swim to send to their grandparents.

A public swimming pool is for all people men, women, children and families to use. I have no problem in booking lanes etc. but this suggestion would see only women rostered on at the women only times and an inconvience to a great many people. Let private interests build their own facilities at a private expense, and the rest of us will learn to share the pool.

This x 1000. I don’t like where this city is headed.

Ah the Greens,
just when you thought they couldn’t get any more retarded.

I have religious objections to swimming with anyone else, can the government please build me a personal 50m swimming pool?

There’s already women only gyms – that is pushing it too far as it is. Another prime example as to why the Greens need to take a good hard look at what the majority want not pc whiners!

Leering men?

I thought it was more PC to say “Potential Sex offenders who eye rape”

I understand, and support, the idea of women only gyms, but this is really going too far.

I’m usually pretty sympathetic to and accepting of other people’s religious beliefs but have to draw the line when it impacts on the rights of others in a secular community. I don’t care if people want to cover their faces as it doesn’t impact directly on me. BUt the right to swing one’s arm ends when another’s nose begins. Pandering to minorities is fine, until it impacts on the majority, and then it becomes oppressive.

Australia makes no secret of its approach to outdoor swimming attire. Indeed this is an integral part of its international image.

April came around early this year didn’t it?

My brain just exploded. I only wish I’d heard this suggestion without knowing it came from the Greens…

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I understand, and support, the idea of women only gyms, but this is really going too far.

See I don’t understand women only gyms either, but this swimming suggestion is ridiculous. When i was 30+kg heavier, I didn’t want to go swimming in a public place either. you get over it eventually.

Most of the classes are either majority women or majority men and the odd ones out know that. I’ve done aqua classes where the whole class was 40+ generally overweight women. I kind of felt uncomfortable for a few minutes, but it was all ok.

Even in the general weights room etc there are a mix of people, sure a lot of young guys lifting weights and flexing in the mirror, but they probably make up less than half and there are plenty of older men, women of all ages and sizes all working out together. I don’t like leering men either and I’m a man, but well is it that hard to ignore people. In fact the young guys at my gym are generally pretty good, keep to themselves, do their workouts, have their protein shake and leave. A bit of flirting with the younger girls goes on, but then again, i’d be flirting too if i was 20 again.

In a public place, if someone behaviour is out of line, point it out to the staff. I think 50% of the problem is in onew own mind and thinking somethiong, when its far from the truth. Same can be said for racism, number of times I’ve heard someone claim racism because they didn’t get served quick enough in a cafe FFS!

If there is going to be a women only venues, I demand the following:
- transgender only venue
- missing-limb only venue
- nude only venue
- burkini only venue

Equal opportunity for all.

There is no doubt that cultural issues significantly impact on some women being able to participate in some activities.

However, swimming is such a boring activity that I doubt anyone affected would want to do it anyway.

I also wonder what they’re going to do with lesbians, gays, and heck the whole rest of the rainbow?

Someone introduce Meredith to Monash (Melbourne) councilor Denise McGill’s contacts please.

So of all the issues the community has come to the Greens with, this is near/at the top of their list? Wow, good luck Al! Hahahaha!

johnboy said :

I also wonder what they’re going to do with lesbians, gays, and heck the whole rest of the rainbow?

and Monday can be Mankini day

Bring back segregation. It’s the only sensible solution!

I’m also pleased to learn that, apparently, no men have any concerns regarding accessibility or body image.

Surely it’s better to help people accept their bodies rather than reinforcing the unhealthy notion that they should be hidden from view!?

Besides, have any of the Greens been to a public pool lately? Wobbly bodies everywhere!!!

We can segregate our social issues away! sure did work in the past. Go greens!

I think it’s fine, if they want to create somewhere or some time where women can swim alone, i can’t see the harm.

This is of course assuming that the same will be provided for men?

If they build a womens only facility, then they will build one for men at the same time, or, if they schedule womens only time in one place, they will schedule the same amount of men only time at another, conveniently near by location.

Oh, and of course there needs to be a well stocked bar….

So assuming this to be the case, then i can’t see any reasons to object, and i can only assume this is the case, because otherwise those behind it are a bunch of sexist arsehats…

I didn’t realise the Greens supported misandry so overtly.

This seems a bit ridiculous, and I say that as a woman and a feminist who generally supports the Greens.

Reading between the lines it’s a religious thing to pander to certain groups – there are already some women-only sessions for those. I suspect there is a call for more being supported so as to appear multicultural and tolerant etc. It’s not like there have been a spate of male-perpetrated assaults/sexual assaults at pools recently, or have I missed something?

I swim regularly and think it’s fairly pointless, public pools should be public, I suppose a schedule with women’s times could be done as long as everyone is aware so it isn’t inconvenient (like the current situation when lessons use up all the lanes) but then it’d be only fair to have male sessions too.

You can be as covered as you like at a public pool, I usually wear board shorts on top of my swimmers because I’m more comfortable, I also see people with rash tops and full body suits. There are also body types of all shapes and sizes and besides men can have body issues too. This idea really seems like a waste of effort and unfair to boot.

I have to wonder how the “Reclaim the Night” school of feminism feels about this? It really does seem to revolve around the notion that women should be “protected” from men.

“Providing women’s only swimming would increase the availability of swimming to a number of women and children in our community, both for safety, and for fun.”

Safety? Fun? Serious? The real issue is not safety or fun; rather, it’s the power kick these social justice commissars get from being able to control, and discriminate against, men.

I too look forward to our Chief Minister’s response to this, especially given (see link) her very firm rejection as Education Minister of the proposal to use positive discrimination to recruit more male teachers. That would involve discrimination against women, and we can’t have that, can we?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-05-04/act-rejects-male-teaching-scholarship-plan/1970182

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/19/1047749828325.html

We should have a designated swimming days based on your pay bracket, that way i don’t have to share the water with scum.

I think this is all to do with a swimming centre in western sydney where they spent millions of dollars erecting curtains to cover the pool so certain religious groups could swim. I don’t think we have a large enough muslim community to justify it.

This does sound more like an attempt to woo/appease muslim voters.

It never fails to amaze me why the left would do anything to support a religion that advocates genital mutilation of little girls and teaches that the penalty for apostacy is death.

Henry82 said :

We should have a designated swimming days based on your pay bracket, that way i don’t have to share the water with scum.

I think this is all to do with a swimming centre in western sydney where they spent millions of dollars erecting curtains to cover the pool so certain religious groups could swim. I don’t think we have a large enough muslim community to justify it.

regardless of the size of our muslim community we should not do it. Just the same as we should not tie ouselves in knots trying to not offend catholics, scientologists or disciples of Odin.

This is probably going to trun me into a three post nut bag, but, the suggestion that having men and boys at a pool is a risk to the safety of women and children is entirely offensive and a disgraceful statement by Ms Hunter.

I think everyone has forgotten, it’s only discrimination if it’s a woman getting a raw deal.

Quite frankly any public spending on public infrastructure should then be available for all the public to use at any appropriate time, there should be no discrimination based on race \ gender or religion.

If a Muslim based organisation wished to raise funds it’s own swimming infrastructure in which pools where set apart for males \ females, then that’s their own prerogative. Provided that no public money (or at least no public money outside normal grants) is used on the project I would not have a problem with that.

Then again, the idea that the Greens would support a small minority fringe cause which is very PC shouldn’t surprise me.