I just read about a new dimension of the work of the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation: policing gender!
Staff at a popular Seattle swimming pool were confronted with the horror of a woman, who is a survivor of a double-mastectomy and breast cancer, who wished to swim topless to avoid the pain she feels in a tight swimsuit top.
SCANDAL! WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN!! IF WE DON’T HAVE SEPARATE RULES FOR DIFFERENT GENDERS, ANARCHY WILL RULE THE EARTH!!!
However, Jodi Jaecks is no ordinary woman, and she doesn’t give a fuck about gender norms. So she pursued the matter. So far, she has won a partial victory: Parks and Rec will grant her, and only her, an exception to their gender rules.
Of course, Jaecks, other cancer survivors, and other women aren’t done advocating for themselves. And since nudity is not illegal in Seattle, it’s curious that the pools have stricter rules than the city. We’ll see what happens!
Jodi Jaecks
The Czech 