A local council has sparked backlash by announcing it is banning thongs and G-string swimwear at one of its swimming pools.
Blue Mountains Leisure Centres (BMLC), an arm of the Blue Mountains City Council, on Monday announced that thongs and g-string swimwear are ‘not acceptable’ at its facilities.
The change means the trendy swimwear style is now banned at Katoomba Sports and Aquatic Centre, Springwood Aquatic and Fitness Centre, Blackheath Pool and Glenbrook Swim Centre.
The centre’s terms of entry now state ‘patrons are encouraged to shower thoroughly before entering the pool and recognised swim wear must be worn’.
‘Recognised swimwear does not include G-strings,’ the conditions read.
The G-string ban came to light after the council was forced to explain what it meant with a sign that ruled ‘revealing swimwear/things’ were banned.
The council explained on social media: ‘The image of “Revealing Swimwear/Thongs” has raised some eyebrows, this image refers to thongs and g-strings not bikini tops and bottoms,’ the post reads.
‘Bikinis are acceptable and considered recognised swimwear.’
A number of locals were perplexed by the decision to ban the popular style of swimwear.
‘Shouldn’t people go to the pool to SWIM and not to worry about what other people are wearing,’ one said.
‘How about we solve this by placing the responsibility with the person having feelings about somebody else’s clothes and not the kids wearing them,’ a second local said.
‘Young people will wear what’s fashionable and these are what are fashionable. If you don’t like it, don’t look.’
A third urged others to ‘stop worrying or commenting about how other people look or what they are wearing’.
‘If someone is so offended by a cheeky G string bikini, then don’t wear one and don’t look at others wearing them,’ they wrote.
‘There’s lots of bodies at the pool that I don’t enjoy looking at, they still have every right to be there and wear what they want.
‘This policy is so old fashioned and outdated in my opinion.’
But others said they didn’t see an issue with the ban, adding that there is still swimwear they can wear at the pool.
‘I don’t see the problem here. People are taking this out of context. It’s not like they’re saying cover everything up,’ a user wrote.
‘There are so many kids who innocently swim and enjoy, only to see many sets of butt cheeks walking by which I actually find ridiculous,’ another said.
‘No, we don’t need to look, but kids do and I don’t want them thinking it’s ok, especially with filth around.’
Daily Mail contacted Blue Mountains City Council for comment.