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Feminism: chat

Feminism: sex and gender

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Original poster

Male behaviour in swimming pools

169 replies

Greyandrare123 · 27/03/2023 22:28

I go to a private gym that has a pool. I swim about 3x a week.
The people swimming are diverse. Women, men, all ages (adults only after 5pm).
The same behaviour I see on the streets operates in the pool. Males ploughing down the informal lanes, splashing and not giving a toss who is in their way. Ive had 2 men directly collide into me because I didnt see them behind me and move.

And then there is the wrestling. Groups of younger men wrestling with each other, throwing each other in the air, headlocking, pushing each others heads under water, shadow boxing etc. Splashing wildly in the middle of the pool so everyone else has to move.

Ive yet to see women do the same.

Then manspreading in the steam room. Legs wide apart.

Is this familiar? The lifeguards seem oblivious.

OP posts:

enchantedsquirrelwood · 27/08/2023 16:39

I actually prefer unisex changing facilities - it's much easier if you have an opposite sex child. But I can see all the issues in this thread. I only go swimming in lessons, so there aren't any random people hanging about (and I don't have to contend with splashy men).

But lessons are expensive - it would be much cheaper to go in a public session but I don't like having to share a lane - whether the person is male or female.

Lifeguards don't do anything because they are teens. Even the managers are only in their 20s a lot of the time. The swimming teachers on the other hand are often 40s upwards and they take zero nonsense if someone tries to "invade" a lane where a lesson is happening.

Floofydawg · 27/08/2023 16:47

The OP wasn't about changing rooms though?!

Tinklyheadtilt · 27/08/2023 16:56

I've not really seen this. Just go to lane swimming it's unlikely there will be trouble there

Also pretty thin veiled attack on men. Sad

Floofydawg · 27/08/2023 16:59

Tinklyheadtilt · 27/08/2023 16:56

I've not really seen this. Just go to lane swimming it's unlikely there will be trouble there

Also pretty thin veiled attack on men. Sad

Really? Do you swim regularly? I see it every single swim I do, 3-4 times a week.

Springduckling · 27/08/2023 17:10

I've never seen this.

I'm a slow lane swimmer. Sure there are some irritating situations in pools - not very many, but have never had any aggression.

Tinklyheadtilt · 27/08/2023 17:16

Floofydawg · 27/08/2023 16:59

Really? Do you swim regularly? I see it every single swim I do, 3-4 times a week.

Show quote history

I do and I've never seen it

Timefordrama · 27/08/2023 17:16

I swim regularly in my local pool and haven't noticed this behaviour at all. Being bumped into, by men and women, and bumping into people myself, is one of the hazards of public swimming that I have accepted. Never had any hassle from anyone that I've had accidental contact with. It might help that I completely ignore everyone round me and focus entirely on getting through the water as fast as I can! I love swimming past anyone, as I've only recently become a good swimmer and it's a real ego boost to not be the slowest in the lane! Sorry for everyone who has had bad experiences.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 27/08/2023 17:32

Floofydawg · 27/08/2023 16:47

The OP wasn't about changing rooms though?!

They've been mentioned several times during the thread.

DinnaeFashYersel · 27/08/2023 19:19

I've never seen that kind of behaviour in the private gym I go to.

Complain. It's not acceptable.

identiy102 · 30/08/2023 15:35

I would expect if you had a ball sack you wouldn't feel comfortable closing your legs tightly..... that I can understand.

Apart from that i don't see men act this way.

identiy102 · 30/08/2023 15:35

Not saying it doesn't happen, it just doesn't happen where I swim.

Are they young?

ReginaRegina · 30/08/2023 20:47

I can't get too annoyed about the non showerers tbh. Aside from the massive amount of chlorine it's not like they're going to wash their bumcrack before getting in anyway, and that's infinitely more grim a thought.

ReginaRegina · 30/08/2023 20:49

identiy102 · 30/08/2023 15:35

I would expect if you had a ball sack you wouldn't feel comfortable closing your legs tightly..... that I can understand.

Apart from that i don't see men act this way.

Men are also naturally less knock kneed so probs less comfortable to sit tight legged as their hips don't rotate in as much as ours.

deydododatdodontdeydo · 31/08/2023 15:03

identiy102 · 30/08/2023 15:35

I would expect if you had a ball sack you wouldn't feel comfortable closing your legs tightly..... that I can understand.

Apart from that i don't see men act this way.

I don't buy the ball excuse.
I see men crossing their legs tightly all the time.
Even sat next to other men with them spread right apart.
Some men can do it, so surely most of them can.

ReginaRegina · 31/08/2023 18:21

deydododatdodontdeydo · 31/08/2023 15:03

I don't buy the ball excuse.
I see men crossing their legs tightly all the time.
Even sat next to other men with them spread right apart.
Some men can do it, so surely most of them can.

Show quote history

Tbh, who really gives a shit about this petty stuff anyway. I find it far more annoying when women leave their handbags on the seat next to them if I'm honest. Or when I can barely breath from the amount of perfume they've got on.

But all these examples are petty shit really. Life's too short to be a professional whinger.

ssd · 01/09/2023 10:32

I was thinking about the manspreading shit ,or whatever smart arsed name its called, on the train to work yesterday. It was busy and i sat next to a woman on her phone. She was fat and she spread out and had her elbows jammed into me. Now I'm fat and spread out but i make sure i don't push into the person next to me cos that's just rude. I had to lean into the aisle to get room.
So its not just men who do this.

floribunda18 · 01/09/2023 10:37

I was swimming in beautiful calm sea the other day, and some goon swam past splashing the fuck out of everyone.

Gettingbysomehow · 01/09/2023 22:40

Fairly recently three men were joking shouting and messing about on the pavement and were about to collide into me and shove me into the road because they didn't "see" me.
I yelled "Move out of my way" at the top of my voice and the one in front was so shocked he fell into the road narrowly missing a car, How I laughed.
They don't expect old ladies to do that. I'm not any old lady though I was a biker and a prison officer in a mens prison. I know how to deal with these arseholes.

Justwrong68 · 06/09/2023 23:34

I stopped going to public pools. I've had men brush up against me "accidentally" too many times

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