Spanish swimming pools in Catalonia told not to ban topless bathing

Activists in Catalonia are celebrating after the government of the Spanish region informed its town and city halls that they must allow women to go topless in public swimming pools.

Going topless is enshrined under a 2020 Catalan equality law.

However, some municipal swimming pools have prevented the practice since the legislation was introduced, drawing dozens of complaints each summer.

Local authorities have now been told to bar any form of discrimination.

Preventing women from going topless "excludes part of the population and violates the free choice of each person with regard to their body", the Catalan government's department of equality and feminism informed them in a letter. read more