Two Swedish women are hopping mad after they were banned from their local swimming pool for going topless. The women have seen a significant ripple effect after bringing the situation to the attention of local media.
Ragnhild Karlsson 22, and her friend Kristin Karlsson 21, live in the university town of Uppsala, Sweden. On September 5th they headed to the local swimming complex and jumped into the pool after removing their bikini tops. They swam without incident, among a pool full of other swimmers, until a lifeguard noticed the two. She blew her whistle and ejected the pair from the complex when they opted not to put on their swimsuit tops.
The two are claiming that it is against the law to treat men and women differently. The pool complex indicates that they enforce the rule because they want to prevent sex crimes. The college students don’t believe woman should bear responsibility for sex crimes carried out by their male counterparts.
The two believe that woman should be able to decide for themselves whether they need protecting. The pool operators indicate it is a complex issue. They claim that aside from the security issue, it is also a hygiene issue and a ‘manners and customs’ issue. More simply stated – not all of their guests want to see bare chested woman.
A spokesman for the swim facility indicates they have asked their governing body to look into the situation and perhaps make recommendations.
We’ve included some additional pictures. Click each thumbnail photo for a better view.