Trans Swimming sessions

[DaveDave]

Just saw the below event advertised at my local pool. How come this is ok but we can't have biologically female only swimming sessions? I'm annoyed, not because of the event, but because it seems impossible to have female only swimming without being accused of being transphobic.

"Been hoping for a swimming event that's only for trans, non-binary, and/or intersex people? Well, here it is!

To ensure privacy we have booked an entire public pool so it's just for us! Apart from the lifeguards, the rest of the building will be empty too, so there's no need to worry about which changing room to use or people staring. Whether you want to swim laps, float about, or just hang out, you're very welcome. We want these sessions to be accessible to as many people who need them, so if you need a carer who is cisgender to attend with you they are welcome to come along. Parents/guardians are welcome to come and wait in the changing rooms but will not be allowed in the pool or on the poolside.

VENUE: The venue will be given to you during booking to ensure privacy. Please do not advertise this information. You can arrive 15 minutes prior to our swimming session starting, but please note that if you arrive more than 15 minutes late you may be locked out. There is very little phone reception by the pool so you may not be able to get in touch with anyone to let you into the building.

CHANGING FACILITIES: The changing room is gender neutral, wheelchair accessible, and has individual changing and shower cubicles. Before swimming you'll have 15 mins to get ready, and 30 mins at the end.

AGE RANGE: This event is for all ages, but if you're under 18 you'll need to get a consent form signed. Just let us know when you're booking and we'll send you one to bring filled in on the day. Please bear in mind that we do not currently allow cisgender parents and guardians to be in the pool or on the poolside.

DRESS CODE: As always, genitals covered. If you have [insert word you're comfortable using for your chest/boobs/breast tissue] you'll need to have your chest covered too. A rash vest would be best, but if you don't have one or can't afford one a light weight t-shirt is also acceptable.

BOOKING: To book, or ask any questions, contact [email protected]. If you are disabled and need a cisgender carer to attend with you please let me know during booking.

COST: This event is free to attend but as a charity we welcome donations. You can donate on our website

www.rainbow-project.org/donate/ or there will be a donation bucket available at the event.

(redacted)

Right. It all looks good as an org for adults, my only concern is that they don't seem to understand that an organisation for children has very different needs.

Apart from anything else, if a child goes to check out all their videos they're potentially going to be watching stuff that isn't age appropriate. Especially if it's aimed at 'all ages'.

Giving advice on binders, originally set up for adults with HIV, get wet for rainbow projects, signposting people to struck off or suspended doctors.

I wonder what their expertise is in chromosomal disorders of sexual development?

Oh, also 'sex work is real work'

What were the chances?

Website says they are

Sex Positive:
The Rainbow Project values sex, and sexuality, as an important part of who we all are. We believe that understanding our sexuality and promoting openness in our relationships leads to better sex lives, better health and well-being and better relationships.
Gender Aware:
The Rainbow Project values the diverse representations of gender within our society. We believe that people should not have to fit in with the gender roles assigned to us by society and we actively encourage free presentation of gender as a representation of our uniqueness.
And

Volunteer led:
The Rainbow Project values the individual contributions made by each of our volunteers and recognises the key role of volunteers in developing and delivering the strategic aims of the organisation.

Volunteers manning the poolside maybe?

How do you know it is? Who do you think is supervising any children who attend? There is no mention of any childminding service, all it says is that parents/ carers are not allowed in to supervise and that there will be no staff besides lifgards.

Also lots of Drag.

This is all unexceptional for an adult-focussed charity catering to sexual health and people of specific sexualities.

They also have no age limit. Any kids under 8 who go, will have to be supervised one-to-one, by someone they would call a responsible adult - but obviously not the parents.

Fun swim session open to all. Small pool, no lanes for ‘proper’ swimming. No seating around the edge so only actually swimmers go in. A lifeguard on duty. I guess you could sit in the changing room if you wanted to but most go to the little cafe on the other side of the building. I wasn’t in this country when my kids were young …. I was too busy sending them to unsupervised pool parties at neighbours houses or the local hotel which of course is not a safeguarding risk because they weren’t trans people who have already been characterized as ‘magnets for abusers’ and all
suffering from sexually motivated fetishes by the not at all bigoted posters on this thread.

If the kids were worried by anything, they speak to the lifeguard or get out and come and get me. Not difficult.

Anyway, enough now. As has already been stated, this activity has being going on for a year presumably successfully. They aren’t having orgies on the poolside and then brainwashing the children not to tell their parents who are yards away in the changing room.

Potential abusers will have to find another way to get to children like ….. walk into any leisure Centre at any time and find a child whose parents aren’t there (most of them!) or go to the cinema, park or indeed any other public space where there will be 100’s of unsupervised children

The event is for non-binary people to attend. Seems to me that it’s open to all then, or at least it isn’t policeable. I mean, how can you tell who is non-binary or not? That is a red flag but it is also an open door for anyone living locally who wants to turn up in their bathers to see the situation for themselves.

Screengrab from the video publicising the Trans Swimming lessons. Note the posters behind the presenter: 'Lubrication', 'STIs', 'Oral Sex', 'Using Condoms'.

I did think that perhaps this video was from a time prior to the charity opening up the age criteria, but as you can see, in the comments, there's a response to someone asking if under 18s can go to - and yes, they can.

"I used to put on a swimsuit in the shower that I would never get to wear when I went swimming but you've changed all that".

I'm really bloody interested in how strawberry or golf or 99 are going to frame that.

@Noname99
@RedAndBlueStripedGolfingUmbrella
@StrawberryFieldsForEveryone

?

How would you frame it?.

You think that ads for kids' swimming lessons generally have posters up about oral sex and lubrication in the background, and that's fine?

Safeguarding. Random adults wanting private access to other people's children is a thundering great concern.

Haha! Got it.

It's nearly a full house, haven't seen cake or Weetabix talk yet though....

Hundreds and hundreds of posts later, and this is still the overriding issue.

I genuinely have no idea what you are on about, of you'd care to enlighten me?

You hear the words, but you will never, ever understand the language.

Sure.

"I used to put on a swimsuit in the shower that I would never get to wear when I went swimming but you've changed all that".

I asked how are you would frame that. And you decided to not answer.

This, well said