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Female activists "self-identified as men" to join a male-only swimming session in protest against changes to gender law.
Amy Desir, 30, and another woman who wished to remain anonymous took part in the all-male evening at Dulwich Leisure Centre after telling staff they “self-identified” as men.
Ms Desir donned a pair of swimming shorts and a pink floral swimming cap to take a dip.
She told the Standard: “Most of the men didn’t seem to mind. We had one elderly gentleman ask if we knew it was a men-only night.
“I said, ‘I am a man’ and he said, ‘oh really.’ It was a very British response.”
As a kid I did something similar many times, for very different reasons.
Back then, Chicago Park District Pools we’re segregated during the week. Boys got Mon, Wed and Friday. Girls got Turs and Thurs. Girls were required to wear bathing caps, regardless of the length of their hair. The Park District would not take job applications from qualified girls for life guard positions or swim instructors. Instead, girls could apply for shower room and toilet clean up.
The Park District did not know what to do with me. Most times they just let me be and I was able to swim all week days. I wore a tee shirt over my suit.
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