Aarau
Naked breasts in the public baths: forbidden in the city of Zurich, no problem in Aarau and Lenzburg
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For moral reasons, the city of Zurich does not want to allow topless bathing. Aarau is less prudish, as is Lenzburg.
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Of course you don’t have to visit the Aarauer Badi topless. But woman can.
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The discussion was launched just in time for the upcoming first hot days: should the female breast be covered in the swimming pool or not? The debate was triggered by a decision by the city of Göttingen (D). First, a non-binary person (someone who doesn’t feel like they belong to one gender or the other), but who is interpreted as a woman because of their external sex characteristics, was banned from the Badi after removing their bikini top. After some public outrage, the city’s sports committee decided that – as a trial – all bathers can now sunbathe and swim without covering their upper bodies at the weekend. So far, so clear.
This has also triggered a debate in Switzerland. The Zurich SP national councilor Tamara Funiciello said in the “Daily Gazette”: «I would find such a topless regulation absolutely necessary in Switzerland. And not just at the weekend, but always – in outdoor and indoor pools.” There is currently no statutory regulation at state level. But the swimming pools can of course set their own house rules. And the city of Zurich is prudish: According to the “Tagesanzeiger”, the bathing regulations there stipulate that swimwear must be worn. The city of Zurich’s sports department can be quoted as saying this in order not to offend the “moral sensibilities” of other bathers. An adjustment of the regulation is not up for debate. In individual sections of pools, mostly “in the women’s area”, you can take off your bikini top.
And how is it in Aarau? Totally relaxed. This is confirmed by SP city councilor Silvia Dell’Aquila, who is responsible for public facilities, with reference to the bathing regulations: “The municipal outdoor pool in Schachen has no restrictions in this regard, which is why people in Aarau can (sun)bathe topless.”
In Lenzburg, too, the bathing regulations say nothing about whether a woman has to sunbathe or swim with or without a top. “As long as nobody is bothered by it, it’s not a problem if someone wants to lie topless on the towel or bathe,” says Christoph Prettyr. It is occasionally done. If someone were bothered by this and contacted the lifeguard, he would seek a conversation with the woman. “You have to follow the lifeguard’s instructions, so I could ask you to put something on,” says Pretty. “In my 22 years here, that’s only happened once.”
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