Help DH won't wear speedos but going to France!

[letitgoletitgo6]

Taking DCs to Disney land Paris in May. DH has severe body dysmorphia and getting clothes that he will wear is a nightmare as he genuinely hates the way he looks (there's absolutely nothing wrong with the way he looks but it's not as easy as just telling him that!)

So I've recently found out about the law in France about all men and boys having to wear speedos when swimming. We aren't staying at Disney we are staying at the centre parks so we definitely plan on going swimming. He's point blank refusing to wear them which I do completely understand as he will worry about it every hour until we go. However if he doesn't go then non of us can go in as Dc are small and can't swim without help and I can't help both on my own. Is there a speedo alternative that's a bit more body forgiving that I could suggest to him?

I've been going to France for years and I've never worn Speedos while swimming. Just swimming shorts.

@letitgoletitgo6 I hope you’re seeing the many comments from people who have been to the Centre Parcs you’re staying at saying it wasn’t an issue, and that it helps. And please ignore people saying, “Then why did you plan a trip to France?!”

Gee, I don’t know, perhaps because OP’s kids would love to go to Disneyland (since OP said that’s where they’re going, and Centre Parcs is where they’re staying) and not everyone can afford to go to the US, or some people have issues flying; that’s OP’s private information and would be filed in the Ns under “Nunya” for “nunya fucking business.”

The others who had an issue with swimwear are those who went to actual French camp sites or French municipal pools. You should be fine, OP.

I know, right? How much “dirt” will someone bring into the pool on a pair of shorts they had (potentially) walked around outside in compared to someone in Speedos who didn’t wipe their bum properly?

I think it's to stop peple wearing shorts and t-shirts all day and then swimming in them bringing outdoor dirt into the pool. Still seems mad to me, in the campsite we were in kids were walking around in swimming costumes sitting on the grass etc so no different.

However I echo others in saying tourist places rarely enforce it. Re the tshirt he would be more likely to not get challenged if he wears a surfing type long sleeved rash vest. My kids wore these in France with no issues as it's proper swimwear. They just don't want non swim wear in the pool.

I always thought it was so pubes didn’t come off into the pool 😂I think I’m right. Italy often has a women swim cap rule for same hair related reason (as well as speedos).

They don't have to be tiny speedo,they can just be normal swimming shorts like boxer shorts. The rules were introduced in swimming pools to prevent people (usually men/boys) to go in the pool with the same shorts they had been wearing all day.

You might be lucky. We have only been to one place in France where this rule was enforced. It is always stated but often ignored.

My son takes the long jammers in case they are enforcing it. They are fine - it's just anything baggy they won't allow.

What a bizarre expectation!! What’s wrong with swimming shorts?

Buy him a rash guard OP.

I remember when I lived in Germany, no swimwear was allowed in the sauna. It was “unhygienic” apparently and they enforced this. So I had to wrap myself in a towel instead. Got many strange looks, but no bloody way was I sitting there stark naked.

My DP has body dismorphia too. He’s athletic but very thin so is desperately paranoid about going swimming. In your situation I would not push him and just go and struggle on my own. I say this as a mother of twins so know how difficult it can be wrestling two young children. I do like the idea that PP put about your DP swapping the children over so you can both have some one on one time.

Don’t go to an Austrian pool then. You can only used the saunas naked. They even have sauna patrol who come and kick you out if you dare go in a sauna with swim stuff of any size on. It’s due to hygiene also apparently.
Some hotels are now more lenient against ‘foreigners’, but local pools and spas is a definite no no

In fact, our nearest pool is naked swimming also in winter oct- apr I think (outdoor heated). It’s used to be naked all year but it’s right up against a lake that has boat trips on in summer and people complained about being on show to 50+ people every time a boat went past!

Quite.

Which is weird, cos I’d rather they had clothing to filter out at least some of their faecal residue.

Wouldn’t it better to give women the option to wear something less tight fitting should they choose to, rather than forcing men to wear speedos?

We visit France regularly and dh never worn speedos. Since when did that become law.

@Calliopespa - I think ‘hygiene’ is more to do with clothing releasing chemicals in the heat. Either from laundry detergent or materials it’s made from. And those chemicals in air released buy gets in hot sauna not seen as healthy or hygienic. I think most sauna used often countries like Austria, Finland, Sweden have the same rules

I was wondering the same.

Not every bloke is Daniel Craig - there are plenty of Bernard Mannings out there. I can't imagine speedos do them any favours.

But don’t they normally take in towels to sit on?

Its interesting what you say about chemicals though

Indeed!

. <- not envy

Thinking on it though, I’d still rather risk a chemical than coming in contact with a surface someone’s genital warts had been dangling on .

They don’t enforce the rule at all we go all the time and they don’t make you wear them .

@Calliopespa - yes. Towel to sit on. Many take towel to sit on and then wrap towel around you to go in and out various saunas so it’s not often just loads of naked wandering. You can sit in towel with it wrapped over you also if you prefer

But aren’t they washed in laundry detergent?

I remember when I first came across this policy years ago and was surprised by it. It applied to boys as well. Son was about 12 at the time and his first reaction was " I'm not wearing budgie smugglers" but did!🤣
I had to buy a pair of speeds there and then. They lasted for years because ds only wore them in France!

@Calliopespa - no idea. The towels are provided by spas so what they use I don’t know. I assume it’s different with cotton based fabrics being ‘natural’ and swim stuff Lyra or similar with releases stuff?
I don’t know. I don’t use local pool as it’s not particularly child friendly ( just one full depth naked pool outdoors), so use next town over with Ds who also have nude saunas but over 16 only so we don’t use. And the pool is regular swimming type for anyone.

Oh he’ll be fine in his usual swimmers.