Bern apologizes after police detain trans woman in pool nudist area
The city of Bern has admitted making a mistake after a trans woman was removed from the women-only nudist area of the Marzili outdoor pool on Sunday, saying she was entitled to be there.
Incident at the pool
On Sunday, a trans woman entered the Paradiesli, the women-only nudist area at Bern's Marzili outdoor pool. Other bathers complained, saying she appeared male due to physical characteristics such as body hair and visible genitals. Pool staff asked her to leave, but she refused. Private security and then police were called. According to Le Parisien, officers arrived shortly before 5:30 pm. The woman resisted, leading to a physical intervention. She was handcuffed, taken to a police station, and held for about two hours before being released. A female police officer suffered minor injuries during the scuffle.
City response
The following day, the city of Bern acknowledged that the pool management had misjudged the situation. The trans woman met the access rules: all persons who identify and live as female may use the area; in case of doubt, official registered gender prevails.
The city announced staff training and clearer information on access rules.On Sunday evening, a woman who was at the Marzili was not perceived as such by other bathers due to certain physical characteristics. With hindsight, this decision turned out to be the wrong one. The Directorate expressly regrets this decision and apologizes to the person concerned.
Eyewitness accounts
Anna, who has visited the Paradiesli for 15 years, told CH Media she felt uneasy due to a past sexual assault.
She and a friend left before the police arrived. Meanwhile, the trans woman's flatmate accused police of using excessive force, saying officers used batons and pepper spray and pushed naked bathers aside.We are tolerant. We support safe spaces for trans people too. But the situation made me uncomfortable.
Broader debate
The incident has reignited debate across Switzerland. A Blick reader said she does "not want to see penises in the women's FKK area," while activists denounced "transphobic violence." A spontaneous protest of about 50 people gathered outside the police station after the woman's release. The feminist strike collective and Antifa criticized the police for entering the women-only area and called the operation "transphobic violence."
Policies elsewhere
Swiss cities have varying rules for women-only spaces. Zurich grants access to "female-read persons," with staff making the call but acknowledging the risk of error. Basel focuses on behavior rather than appearance. Sauna and fitness associations reported very few problems and leave rules to individual operators. The incident has prompted Bern to review its procedures.
