TOthe pool Trecate in Turin, in the Pozzo Strada area, from May 8 Monday mornings will be exclusively dedicated to the female universe
An hour and a half a week dedicated exclusively to women: in the Trecate pool in Turin, in the Pozzo Strada area, from May 8 on Monday morning access will be exclusively for women, as part of the “Women’s pool” initiative of the village sports club , which is associated with Uisp.
One hour per week is reserved for women
The project provides that every Monday morning from 10.30 to 12 (traditional closing time), Only women can access the pool: from instructors to staff, only they will be able to enter the structure, to meet the needs of those who, for cultural or religious reasons, do not feel comfortable performing in costume in front of men. The only exception is children, who will be able to swim with their mothers.
A similar project, also designed to encourage inclusion, started a few years ago at another swimming pool in Turin, Massari. Here, for two hours a week, the facility was exclusively for women of the Muslim faith, who could attend swimming, water aerobics and free swimming lessons at their own leisure, run exclusively by female lifeguards and instructors.
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The other cases in Italy and Europe
The news, as expected, sparked the debate, especially on the Internet, with two opposing sides: on the one hand those who applauded an initiative that does not focus exclusively on religion, but helps all women who for some reason do not feel comfortable to appear in costume in front of men, on the other hand those who consider it more divisive than inclusive. However, there are many examples of this kind and they are scattered not only in Italy (similar initiatives have been adopted in Reggio Emilia and Sesto San Giovanni, as well as in Turin), but also in Europe.
To name just a few examples, it was launched in Brussels in 2021 Flow, a leisure facility located in the northwestern suburbs where the burkini, the full body swimsuit used by some Muslim women, has been allowed, and where the access of one hour per week is also reserved for women only. The same has been the case for several years in Finland, where there are many separate access pools reserved for women.
Gyms for women only
The idea of swimming, and training in general, without fear of meeting male gazes is extremely reassuring for many women. This is also proved by boom in gyms dedicated only to them.
In Monza, for example, the association “Women on the move” provides training sessions only for women, of different ethnic groups and religions, the training programs are designed ad hoc and the instructors are, obviously, women. also in Mirano, in 2021, “Femme Fit Italia” was born, created by Matteo Zorzato, a former professional athlete and entrepreneur who wanted to launch a space accessible only to women. Other similar realities have arisen in most regions of Italy, and in all cases, the basis of the form is the desire to guarantee women a space where you can train freelyon a physical and mental level, wearing what they want and without worrying about too many stares or unwanted approaches.