Change rooms are one of the few places where nudity is to be expected; after all, how do you change without getting naked? Terrigal Surf Lifesaving Club located on the New South Wales Central Coast has their surfers perplexed over its rule regarding nudity in its showers and change rooms.
Nada Pantle frequently uses the change rooms at the club to shower after dipping into the ocean before heading off to work. She was surprised to come across a warning letter that she had breached the club’s nudity in change rooms policy.
“The board has advised members that nudity is not acceptable as per the Child Safe Policy,” the letter stated. “Should you continue to ignore the rules, you will be subject to disciplinary action, and/or … termination of your membership.”
Swimmers couldn’t wrap their heads around the policy; are they supposed to shower with clothes on?
“They didn’t say what I did or who had made a complaint but it sort of implied I’d done something almost sexual,” she said.
“At some point, you’ve got to take your clothes off to get your other clothes on. That’s why we have change rooms. I almost feel like I’ve been body shamed.”
It also states that members should “not undress and avoid using a changing room with a child unless there are other people present.”
Terrigal SLSC spokesperson Julie Redfern has defended her club’s policy. “We’ve been getting complaints for many, many years around children being exposed to naked adults in our shower area,” Redfern said.
“I’ve even had my own son telling me more than 10 times how uncomfortable he feels.”
She said the club had decided on the policy to make children feel safer.
“We’re just asking our swimmers to have a shower in their cossies and then get changed with a towel around them or in the toilet cubicle,” she said.
Associate member Wendy Farley said she found the policy confusing. “How can you have a shower and get changed in a change room without being nude?” Farley asked.
“I think that’s a bad message for all women. To cover your nudity and be ashamed of it.”