Hampstead Heath Women's Pond

[Gacapa]

Hampstead Heath ladies say swimming pond is not gender fluid

dailym.ai/2El0eLA

Here we go...

This is not quite accurate. The Equality Act says that anyone merely THINKING about becoming trans is trans. So a 25-stone hairy fat bloke with a beard is as much trans as someone who has had ops, puberty blockers, etc.

This to me, is wrong and should be changed. We need more gatekeeping, not less.

pisa there was a petition pointing out that single sex swimming can be single sex under the law and the session was reinstated.

The complainant who got it shut down in this instance was a man who was angry that women had an hour a week for a swim. They should have said that if he found enough interest they'd be happy to provide a men only hour as well. Because fact is men who complain about this sort of thing don't actually want it themselves, they just want women not to have it. Of course if there was interest then they could have their hour and you wouldn't see women trying to get it shut down.

From the bottom of the BBC article

Hannah Norman wrote: "I can't believe they have stopped a session that enables women the opportunity to feel safe and confident. How ridiculous. They should have just made a men-only session too."

This is exactly it, and why it's not bigotted. These people making these complaints don't actually want men's only swimming, they just don't want women to have women's only swimming.

This is why it's also different to golf clubs - women wanted to play golf and were being stopped from doing so - they didn't want to stop men playing golf.

In the light of the statement from KLPA can as many members/swimmers as possible write to them to say they have been misinformed as to their rights and obligations under the Equality Act 2010, and that you would like an explanation of why they have not invoked the exemption (Equality Act 2010, Schedule 3, Part 7, Paragraph 28) that is available to them and that would have permitted the Pond to remain single-sex without any contravention of Equalities law.
You might also want to add your own experiences of the pond, and why it remaining single-sex is important to you.
You might also want to ask how they will differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate claims of womanhood made by males, and what liability the association would accept in the cases of voyeurism or other improper intrusions.
You might also want to note the lack of consultation and the apparent complete failure to get independent advice etc

Sadly I am not a member or user of the pond, so can't write 'as a member/swimmer', though will write as a concerned member of the public. However, it will be the members/users letters that count.

Send letters to Co-chairs, Julia Dick and Nicky Mayhew c/o [email protected]

Surely all women should have the same rights?

Yes, Ursula, of course they should

Sweetie.

Personally, the next time I'm in Hampstead I will go into the men's pond. I'm male and gay.

My genitals are my business.

Do it your glorious nude male finery Elendon

busyboysmum thank you for advising us of the legal position. Several of the tests for single sex services seem to be met, especially as there is a mixed and a men's pond.

Further to busyboysmum, the website says that membership costs 5 pounds and AGM is usually March. So if enough women from London paid up and went along to the AGM, the policy could be challenged.

www.klpa.org.uk/membership-and-donations.html

My guess is that they're doing what they're told by the City of London Corporation. It would be interesting to know which organization provided those 'transgender awareness training courses'.

The Daily Mail said:
"Female bathers were outraged at the prospect of transitioning men being admitted – despite there being a men’s and a mixed pond available"

The Local swimmers say:
"The KLPA committee members issued a statement which said: “The KLPA is committed to helping to create at the Ladies’ Pond an inclusive environment for all women, including transgender women, which is free from discrimination, harassment or victimisation."

It's almost as if the Daily Mail completely made that story up...

Errr no, it's almost as if there is a difference between managers and customers of the pond.

I'm a bather and I'm outraged, will I do?

it's almost as if there is a difference between managers and customers of the pond.

And almost as if the people in charge felt obliged to put out an "inclusive" social media statement given the news story.

The KLPA committee members issued a statement which said: “The KLPA is committed to helping to create at the Ladies’ Pond an inclusive environment for all women, including transgender women, which is free from discrimination, harassment or victimisation

But the KLPA policy has left female bathers feeling discriminated, harassed and victimised and definitely not included

It seems the Men only pool remains male the mixed pool rains mixed bit the female only pool is no more

A way to finesse this would be for women to use the men's pond, under the guise of transitioning to men. I have no doubt that cis male complaints would be acted upon, sharpish.

I really think a protest of that nature needs to happen. Why should the men continue to be in splendid isolation while the women's pool is coopted by MTFs?

I absolutely think the protest should be women using the men's pond. Absolutely. Not more men in the women's. It's very clear that no one gives a shiny shit about that.

And given how little many men care about women's privacy and are pompously hectoring us to be more inclusive, I don't give a shiny shit about theirs. They do need a taste. Maybe then they will get it.

What would really get them is if we all swam slowly up and down 4 abreast chatting. Not getting our hair wet. Breaststroke

that's just mean!

Yes busyboys. Chatting.....about football obvs. And doing "bantz"

I expect almost no Men's Pond user would dream of entering the Ladies Pond. I suspect men who would pretend to be women to visit the Ladies Pond, but have no intention of transitioning via gender reassignment surgery (call them perverts in the absence of a better description), would never go to the Men's Pond. It would not surprise me if these perverts avoid the Men's Pond given its reputation as a place where gay men meet.

So I am not sure that invading the Men's Pond is the answer. Campaigning for their support could be an option, as the users of the Men's Pond could include some who might support you. If only because a threat to the Ladies Pond could be seen as a threat to single gender ponds in general.

You do realise that the water in these ponds is freezing! It is only on the hottest of days that one can idly swim around - usually it's a very bracing experience

If perverts are going to be in the women’s pond (and I know that the majority of normal, decent trans women aren’t perverts, however I suspect non trans people who are perverts will say they are trans) then I will use the men’s pond instead and say I’m gender fluid.

I have visions of the stoning scene in Life of Brian.... "are there any women here today?" "no" "no"