Story of six-year-old girl ordered out of Milton Keynes swimming pool because her top half was bare causes huge splash on social media

The mum posted on social media after her six-year-old was asked to get out of the pool during a lesson at Stantonbury Leisure Centre this week.

And reason was that she was wearing pink swim shorts with no top, which was deemed to be "unhygienic".

The mum said: "The teacher and lifeguard and person in charge asked her to get out of the pool. They asked me to come down. We were told she wasn’t allowed to swim because she was wearing inappropriate swimwear. Pink swim shorts."

She added: "We were very confused. Especially since she’d worn them there before and nothing was said. I was then told it was unhygienic.

"I've no idea why having her nipples out the same as the boys was only unhygienic for her and not them. Surely at six their chests are the same?"

The mum was told it was against the centre's policy for girls to wear only shorts.

"I asked to see said policy. I was shown a paragraph that said appropriate swimwear must be worn - swim shorts not board shorts or a swim costume not a bikini. I said she’s wearing appropriate swimwear.

"I didn’t understand their problem. I was then told that you can buy just boys' shorts and they don’t always come with a top. However you buy girls costumes or a bikini in two parts.

"I then asked why if boys up to the age of eight could change in the girls' changing room then why could girls up to eight not wear what they were calling boys' swimwear. I also asked what their gender neutral policy was? No response!

"I then asked what if I said she was a boy would they want to check before allowed back in the pool? No response!"

The mum added: "I wouldn’t even mind her teacher asking me quietly at the end of the lesson if she could wear a swimming costume next week instead of swim shorts. But instead they embarrassed her by making her stand on the side in front of everyone and body shamed my six year old.

"They way they went about it was completely wrong. But is this even a thing in this day and age still? My daughter said it was like the old days when there were different rules for women and they had to fight for their rights. She held herself together until she got in the car when she cried and cried and said she’s never going back to swimming lessons".

The post, which appeared on the 'Mum to Mum Milton Keynes and Beyond' Facebook page, prompted dozens of comments.

Most parents felt the leisure centre's stance was discriminating - but many said they would not let their own young daughters swim bare chested.

One mum wrote: "It’s a sad world when a parent of a six year old is questioned on appropriate swim wear but sadly this is the world we live in. Doesn’t make it right but it is the world we live in."

Another said: "I’d be interested to see the reaction if the little girl had a short hair cut or a boy in the same shorts with long hair...Their bodies are the same. The children are most likely oblivious at that age. It’s the adults that are sexualising this/making it inappropriate. Children on the beach run around with no tops on without a fuss so what’s the difference? Also I’ve never heard of exposed six year old female nipples being ‘unhygienic’."

The Citizen is awaiting a comment from Stantonbury Leisure Centre.