The Greens' call for women-only swimming in the ACT unleashed a torrent of comment this week - most of it against the proposal.
An online poll run by The Canberra Times by yesterday morning had attracted 1200 votes - 79per cent of people were against the idea of pools allowing women-only swimming sessions because ''we shouldn't be limiting access on the basis of gender''. The idea was supported by 21per cent of respondents because ''it would encourage greater participation in physical activity among women''.
The online comments were overwhelmingly against the proposal. One person wrote: ''I am a quite stocky male, with a large amount of body hair. I do not feel comfortable to swim in public pools around women, as I get shy and feel uncomfortable about my body. Can we have male-only swimming as well?''
Another suggested: ''As a woman I find this extremely offensive. I want to be included, I want to show that I can swim just as well, if not better than a lot of men and if I have wobbly bits that offend people then look away''.
But some were in favour of the idea: ''At long last my tax dollars will fund an opportunity for my wife to go swimming, my kids to go swimming, and possibly myself in the future. We do not know how to swim because of the mix issue in public pools''.
Greens leader Meredith Hunter says she is simply responding to calls from constituents for women's-only swimming, including from some who want it incorporated into the design of the new $28.7million Gungahlin Leisure Centre, which is due to start construction in August. She suggested removable screens to section off a part of the pool for temporary women's-only swimming could be a solution, but also some funding or insurance coverage for running sessions at other pools.
''There are many women across the community who would like this option made available to them,'' she says. ''Women for cultural reasons. Women with disabilities. Women with body image issues. It is not just about one group.''
When asked this week about the likelihood there would be calls for men's-only swimming as a result, Hunter seemed a little frustrated. ''Well, that's certainly something men's groups might want to take up. What I'm doing today is taking up an issue that's been raised with me by my constituents and an issue I know exists across the community and I'd like to see some action on that,'' she says.
Despite the heated debate, women's-only swimming has worked successfully in other cities and also been run on an ad-hoc basis in Canberra without much fanfare.
With support from the Canterbury City Council, NSW Sport and Recreation has run women's-only swimming and learn-to-swim classes at a public pool in Roselands in south-western Sydney for five years, development officer Rose Powell says. The program runs for a couple of hours one day a week, with the pool booked out for the women. ''It's extremely popular and we've got waiting lists all the time,'' she says. ''We've been able to see the progression of women from not being able to swim to becoming regular leisure swimmers.''
The WimSWIM program is open to all women, but primarily attracts women with cultural or religious beliefs including those preventing them from exposing their body to unknown males. Macquarie University research found 59per cent of participants had never swum before entering WimSWIM and all identified access to a women-only environment as a key motivator. The program has received a commendation in the NSW Water Safety Awards.
Locally, Royal Life Saving ACT executive director Sean Hodges says it used to run women's-only swimming classes at the old Kaleen pool and was getting 60 participants a lesson. ''We know it works,'' he says, adding that Royal Life Saving is keen to support any measure that encouraged more people to get water-safe.
YWCA of Canberra executive director Rebecca Vassarotti also agrees there is a need to ensure equal access to services for all women, including those who felt self-conscious going to a mixed pool because of issues such as body image or a disability. And cultural issues are also important.
The Federal Government in 2006 commissioned research from the University of New South Wales looking at factors which limit participation in sport and recreation by linguistically and culturally diverse women. It found that ''cultural and religious notions of female physicality raised particular issues for their involvement in sport and recreation''.
''This was particularly the case for women needing to cover their bodies and adhere to cultural and religious standards of modesty, an experience which was strongest amongst (but not exclusive to) women from Muslim backgrounds,'' the report reads. ''While some of the women routinely adapted their dress to comply both with religious requirements and sport and recreation norms (for example wearing long clothing under uniforms or in the pool), they tended to find this uncomfortable and potentially stigmatising. Overwhelmingly, the women would prefer to have opportunities to participate in women-only (but not culturally segregated) sport and recreation contexts than to cover their bodies in mixed-gender facilities.''
The report also highlighted that ''in all of the areas, a shortage of women-only swimming time at public pools was seen to limit the swimming opportunities'' and ''expanding the availability of women's-only facilities was also seen as a way to engage'' ethnically-diverse women generally, not just Muslim women.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, meanwhile, says giving preference to one group is permissible under the special measures provision of the Sex Discrimination Act. The special measures need to achieve a ''legitimate aim'' and have to be ''proportionate'' and are determined on a case-by-case basis.
The debate is set to continue with Sports Minister Andrew Barr due to meet with community groups on Wednesday to look at options for women's-only swimming.
Megan Doherty is a staff reporter.
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