Montreal mother stunned her 6-year-old told to 'cover up' at pool
Stephanie Felkai took her two young daughters to the pool as a way to relax. Instead, she left Parc Ottawa in Montreal North last weekend feeling angry.
Felkai said a lifeguard singled out her six-year-old daughter, who was wearing her favourite bathing suit shorts, and said she needed to cover up with a top.
"At her age, she's indistinguishable from a boy. Her physique is exactly the same as a boy's. So how does anyone even know to approach her to tell her she's not wearing an appropriate bathing suit?" Felkai told CBC's Homerun.
Felkai said it's not the first time this has happened.
The same lifeguard gave her sister the identical message when she brought the little girl to the pool at Ottawa Park, on Fleury Street East near Lausanne Avenue.
Her sister is from Vancouver and has limited knowledge of French, so Felkai thought she likely misunderstood what the lifeguard said.
"I thought there must be some mistake — telling my sister that this bathing suit is inappropriate.… I couldn't believe it, so I wanted to test it, to be quite honest."
Felkai returned to the pool on Aug. 6 with her daughter sporting the same favourite swimming trunks. It wasn't long before they were approached by the lifeguard.
"She told me, 'Women are asked to cover their breasts and their genitals, and men are asked to cover their genitals.' I said, 'Yes, that's for a woman and a man, but this is a girl.'"
Felkai said the lifeguard provided her with a copy of the pool rules.
"There's no gender or age related to this rule. It said that people need to not be nude or partially nude. My interpretation is that my daughter is partially covered because her genitals are covered," Felkai said.
She called the borough to file a complaint, saying she would like to see the rules relaxed for young children.
"My concern for my daughter in my situation is I don't want her to be forced to identify as girly too early. We don't need that. Just let them be."
Borough says lifeguard 'overzealous'
CBC News contacted the borough of Montreal North.
No one was available for an interview, but spokesman Daniel Bussières said that bathing suits are required for all pool-goers, and for women that means wearing tops as well.
He added that the lifeguard on duty may have been overzealous in how she applied the policy.
The borough said it plans to review the situation with its lifeguards to make sure they understand the spirit of the policy.
