If getting your period every four weeks wasn’t inconvenient enough with the PMS symptoms and extra toiletries, a public swimming pool has added to the misery by banning menstruating women.
An outrageous note pinned on a door at a private swimming pool has been shared online and infuriated women.
The sign at Vake Swimming Pool And Fitness Club in Georgia, was short and direct, warning: “Dear Ladies! Do not go to the pool during periods.”
A pool visitor, Sophie Tabatadze, was outraged and called the company out on Facebook, arguing that the ban was offensive.
“By the way, since according to your rules we are not allowed to use a swimming pool five to six days each month, do we get a preferential price compared with men?” she wrote.
She also called the company ban misogynistic.
The sign was also shared by another Facebook user who slammed the pool, in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.
Katia Patin wrote that the sign had been in the private pool for about eight years.
“What makes me even sadder than the man who decided to put this up is the women who pay $200 a month for membership and think this is totally OK.
“How has this not been torn down, boycotted whatever? Most women can laugh it off as absurd but what about 13-year-old girls who see this and are scared to get in the water with their friends?”
The ban is for hygiene reasons
According to Buzzfeed‘s translation, the company replied: “Our statement is not sexist and has a preventive objective”.
“We had a case, when the water was contaminated due to which (we) had suffered damage. We try to follow norms of hygiene and we ask our members to do the same.”
Men wrote on the Facebook complaint that the ban was fair and reasonable.
Women have been banned from a pool in Georgia. Picture: Facebook
“It is for hygiene reasons for hell sake. This has nothing to do with feminism or being against women rights,” one user wrote.
“Some girls have strong periods that even when they use tampax the blood leeks out. I am sorry but if I am swimming in the pool I do not want to see that. That is called asking for decency and it is by no means offensive.”
But women were outraged. Many believed the ban stemmed from period stigma, not from concern over member hygiene.
Some questioned why there weren’t warnings about people blowing their runny noses, spitting or peeing in the pools?
Even Olympians swim during their period
Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui was a pleasant breath of fresh air during the most recent Olympics with her open and honest interviews following her swims.
The Chinese bronze medallist is breaking down boundaries in the world of sport and her home country. Picture: Christophe Simon/AFP.
Her candid nature even helped break down one of the taboos in female sport - competing with a period.
After completing in the 4 x 100 metre medley relay, where China came fourth, Fu admitted that she was feeling unwell because of her period.
If Fu is allowed to swim on the biggest stage in the world with her period, in a pool shared by Olympic competitors and watched by millions of viewers - we think it’s pretty safe for all women to swim any where at any time.
