The first nudist beach in Germany appeared in 1920 on the island of Sylt. Ten years later, the Berlin School of Nudism held its first International Nudist Congress. Therefore, it is not surprising that Germany is at the forefront of the debate about female nudity, which is still much more censored than male nudity. In the country it is a matter of gender equality, but also of loyalty to the Freikoerperkultur, the “free body culture” so deeply rooted in the German people. Why can’t women show their bare breasts if they want to? Answer Berlin “for no reason” and henceforth women can swim topless in all municipal pools of the capital.
Topless in the pool, it’s all right in Berlin
“Following a successful complaint of discrimination, the Berlin Baths will apply their swimming rules equally to genders in the future,” the statement said. As explains BBCthe issue officially arose after a swimmer stated thatshe was banned from visiting one of the city’s swimming pools without covering her breasts in December 2022.. She then filed a complaint with the Office of the Senate Ombudsman for Justice, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination. “We women don’t want to make a fuss, we just want to be able to behave like men,” she explained. “There were a lot of people around me who were quietly sunbathing with bare chests.” The trial proved the woman right, establishing that she was indeed a victim of discrimination. So, this week it was determined that all visitors to the Berlin pools, including women and those who identify themselves as non-binary people, will be able to swim topless. Parity has been achieved, at least on the (bi)kini front.
Berlin, however, is not the only German city to set this standard, and not the first. Last May the city of Göttingen has established that women can also swim “oben-on” (without a top) in municipal swimming pools.. Be careful though, the rule in town is only on weekends so as not to offend the sensibility of school groups in swimming lessons. Laws change, prejudices die hard. Also in the home of Freikoerperkultur.
Source: Elle