Women swimming in public swimming pool. (Photo : erwinermers / YouTube)
An upscale gym in Tbilisi, Georgia, has attracted accusations of being sexist after the gym management posted a notice that women on their periods are not allowed to use the swimming pool. The sign posted at Vake Swimming Pool and Fitness Club reads, "Dear Ladies! Do not go to the pool during periods."
When a new gym member, Sophie Tabatadze, spotted the sign outside the pool on her second visit, she admonished the management in an outraged Facebook post calling the fitness gym sexist. The post has since then become viral on the popular social media network. Tabatadze called the notice as offensive in her post. She further added that since women are prohibited from using the pool for five or six days in a month.
In their defense, the gym shot back at the Facebook post and said that their ban was based on issues in the past. The management explained that in one case, the water was soiled and that they had to bear damages for it. They clarified that the gym is only trying to follow the basic rules of hygiene and would request their members to follow the same. The club fired back, claiming the ban was based on past problems, New York Daily News reported.
An employee working at the gym also reported to the news site that in one such incident, gym workers found a tampon floating on the pool's surface. However, despite these incidents, swimming in the community pool is considered safe during periods and even if there is a leak, the blood in the pool will not cause any illness to the other swimmers, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.
While the gym has been following this rule for the last few years, Tabatadze is pushing for a change in the policy. She said that when people use a public swimming pool, they are exposed to a certain level of germs and that menstruation has nothing to do with hygiene.
