New swimming pool regulation Topless swimming permitted starting in April
Düsseldorf · Women in Cologne will soon be able to go swimming topless if they choose to do so. This move is considered to be a response to “social development”.
In Cologne swimming pools, women will be allowed to swim without a top starting April 1. "In the future, you only have to cover your private parts appropriately in our pools," explained Franziska Graalmann, spokeswoman for Kölnbäder (Cologne municipal swimming pools), when asked by our editorial team on Wednesday. The regulation is to apply in all of the 13 swimming pools of the city of Cologne. Up until now, women have had to have a top on if they are in the pool. Only while sunbathing on the green areas at the outdoor pools were women allowed to take their tops off. "But of course you can still come here with a swimsuit on, one or two-piece or a burkini," says Graalmann.
The fact that Kölnbäder GmbH is changing its rules to allow topless swimming for everyone starting next month is due to a "social development" that has been emerging for some time: "The issue has been around since last summer and is being discussed at various levels," says the press spokeswoman. In some German cities, female swimmers have been allowed to leave their tops off while swimming since last year - for example in Göttingen and Siegen.
Activist had to leave pool
The debate was triggered in the summer of 2021 when a woman was expelled from a water playground in Berlin because of her naked upper body. The ombudsman's office which was responsible for handling the case believed that this amounted to discrimination. On its recommendation, the water playground amended its rules.
In December of last year, another incident in Berlin made headlines across Germany. At that time, activist Lotte Mies had to leave an indoor swimming pool in Berlin-Kaulsdorf because she was topless. The 33-year-old also filed a complaint. Only last week did the Berlin swimming authorities now say that swimming topless should no longer be a problem for women. Basically it was not forbidden anyway. But in case of doubt, the regulations had been interpreted in such a way that the term "customary swimming attire" meant covered female breasts.
The fact that the Berlin activist successfully campaigned on this issue was not only viewed in a positive light. Mies told Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Wednesday that since the incident in December, she has been the target of repeated hostility and threats. "Some people wish I would be raped," the Berliner said. Still, she plans to continue advocating for women's rights. "When it gets warmer, we want to start with things like picnics and topless hiking trips," says the activist, who is involved in the initiative "Equal Breasts for All.”
City of Bonn in talks
Such complaints as happened in Berlin had not previously occurred in Cologne. "At least, I am not aware of any concrete disputes or inquiries," reports Graalmann. The topic had nevertheless been discussed intensively, according to the spokeswoman for the Cologne municipal pools.
The decision from Cologne could now also result in other cities in NRW following suit and changing the regulation. For example, the press office of the city of Bonn says that it is currently in talks about the rules in municipal swimming pools. But a spokeswoman for the city did not have any further details about it when asked on Wednesday.
(Orig. text: Nick Deutz with dpa / Translation: ck)
