Dozens sign Taranaki mum's petition to ban g-string bikinis at pool

A mother's call to ban g-string bikinis being paraded at New Plymouth's popular public pool has divided opinion across the city.

Amy Dixon, who has three sons, started a petition out of curiosity to see whether she was a prude or if other parents were also uncomfortable about having their children being exposed to skimpy swimwear.

Her campaign started after her eight-year-old son was exposed to some g-string wearers while he was at a swimming lesson.

"It was pornographic," Dixon claimed.

"I don't want to be an overprotective mum. Is that the space we're in with society now? If so, I'll find ways to prepare my kids for that. But do we have to do that?"

Dixon's stance found favour with some patrons outside the aquatic centre on Monday who said they also did not want their children exposed to young women dressed in g-strings.

However, others said it was up to the individual to decide if they wore a g-string bikini, because it was a public place and women should be free to wear what they wanted.

The issue had caused debate across the United States, prompted bans in parts of Australia and recently sparked controversy in Taupō over whether g-strings could be worn at thermal spas.

"It was the frustration after spending a summer at rivers, beaches and the pools, of always seeing girls in g-string bikinis," Dixon explained.

"I don't want to seem like an overbearing mum, but there hasn't been a space where my boys can enjoy themselves without having to be on alert, avoid places or look away.

"We're never completely comfortable to enjoy ourselves as a family."

Parents could put parental controls on devices to prevent children from accessing inappropriate material, or move to another part of the beach to avoid seeing someone dressed inappropriately, she said.

"But I can't do that when we're at the pools."

Dixon worried the petition would stir up dissent among those who would find her stance on barely-there swimwear overly conservative or old-fashioned.

She wondered if people would feel embarrassed even sharing the petition on their social media page in case they were seen to be judgmental about young women's bodies and fashion choices.

"I also wondered if it was women of a certain body size wearing g-strings, or men exposing their bodies, would we be okay about that?"

Dixon received comments of "good on you" through the petition, which had already attracted almost 100 signatures.

There was nothing included in the aquatic centre's dress code that stipulated a minimum level of coverage for bathers.

While swimmers were discouraged from swimming in bras and other undergarments for safety purposes, there was nothing to dictate a level of modesty, apart from adequate coverage of breasts for women.

However, Todd Energy Aquatic Centre operations manager Mike Roberts believed it could be time for a change.

G-string bikinis had become more prevalent with the arrival of European tourists post-Covid, he said.

"I think you'd find the majority of them are tourists."

Roberts was considering canvassing other aquatic centres on the topic at the upcoming Waves Conference 2024, run by Recreation Aotearoa, and held in Lower Hutt in August.

So far it had been up to individual centres to dictate swimwear etiquette. New Plymouth aquatic centre policy aligned to others in Auckland, Hamilton and Dunedin where all swimmers at all times in the water had to wear recognised swimwear.

That included clean hemmed shorts, shorter than three-quarter length, burkinis, wetsuits and rash shirts.

There was nothing written against swimmers wearing speedos or g-strings in terms of minimalist swimwear, Roberts said.

"But I can certainly put it forward for discussion."

In 2019, a swimmer at an Auckland pool was asked to cover up by a lifeguard, who told her other women had complained.

The bikini she was wearing was sold at Glassons.

Harvie-Salter said she felt body-shamed and the pool had lost a loyal customer.

- Stuff / Taranaki Daily News