Nude swimming in US indoor pools

Uncommon card · No. 99284

Nude swimming in US indoor pools was common for men and boys from the late 1880s until the mid-1960s, declining until the end of the 80s. Male nude swimming outdoors had been customary in the early United States. In the 19th century, when urbanization made this "skinny-dipping" more publicly visible, indoor pools were built in part as a solution. Nudity was rare in girls' swim classes because of the social norms of female modesty. Prepubescent boys might swim nude in the presence of female staff, family members, and spectators at public competitions. The primary reason given by officials for nude swimming was public health, the technology for water purification being in development. Another reason was the clogging of pool filters by fibers shed by swimsuits with natural fabrics, most often wool. For male swimmers, both issues were easily addressed by forbidding swimsuits, while female swimmers wore cotton suits that could be steam-cleaned and shed fewer fibers. As the 20th century continued...

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