The Swiss city of Bern has apologized to a transgender woman who was removed from a female-only nudist bathing area by six police officers. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at the Marzili swimming pool.
According to reports, female swimmers complained about the transgender woman's presence in the women-only section, and pool staff repeatedly asked her to leave. When police arrived, they were involved in her removal, which was described by a relative of the woman as involving being "tackled to the ground" and resulting in significant bruises. She was handcuffed and taken to a police station before being released.
Police stated that some individuals interfered with the removal, leading to an officer sustaining an injury. A relative of the woman criticized the police's approach, describing it as "intimidating" and lacking dialogue.
Following the event, Swiss LGBTQ+ organizations, including Transgender Network Switzerland and the Lesbian Organisation of Switzerland, condemned the incident, particularly as it occurred during Pride month. They advocated for enhanced training for both pool staff and law enforcement to prevent similar occurrences.
The city of Bern acknowledged a mistake in the woman's removal, stating that escalating tensions led to her detainment. The city affirmed that the transgender woman had the right to access the naturist area and that, in cases of ambiguity, officially registered sex should be the determining factor.
This incident echoes ongoing debates regarding access to single-sex spaces. In London, Hampstead Heath's Ladies' Pond is facing potential legal action from women's rights campaigners who argue that its trans-inclusive policy violates the dignity of women using the pond, particularly in light of a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not legally female. These campaigners claim the current policy creates a hostile environment and that some users feel unsafe bringing their daughters to the pond due to concerns about transgender women being present in changing areas and alleged incidents of photographing other bathers.