Woman ‘appalled’ by Sydney apartment complex’s ‘sexist’ bikini pool ban

The Sydney woman banned for wearing a bikini at the pool of her apartment complex has shared the swimwear branded too racy to wear.

A Sydney woman has slammed the “double standards” of security guards at her apartment complex, after being told to cover up for wearing a bikini that “wasn’t to pool standards”.

Kristy Miller, who lives in the eastern suburb of Zetland, was “appalled” when a male security officer told her to “go and put shorts on” – despite the fact it was a “normal” bikini, “not a G-string”.

“It’s our national costume. It’s accepted at any major beach in Australia, so why wouldn’t it be accepted here in Zetland in the middle of Sydney?” she told A Current Affair.

“My message is, is this offensive?”

The 39-year-old was sunbathing by the complex’s lap pool when she was approached by the security guard over her choice of bathing attire.

“At first I thought he was joking. He said it was too cheeky, that I should’ve been wearing a full brief, and that I needed to put some shorts on to be able to come back,” she explained.

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Kristy Miller has slammed the “double standards” of security guards at her apartment complex, after being told to cover up for wearing a bikini that “wasn’t to pool standards”. Picture: Supplied

The bikini Ms Miller was wearing when she was told to ‘put on a pair of shorts’. Picture: A Current Affair/Channel 9 Picture: Toby Zerna

In an earlier Facebook post in a local community group, Ms Miller said the experience had left her feeling “humiliated and degraded”.

“I just think it’s crazy that security are patrolling pools, looking at women’s bikini bottoms and judging if they think it’s suitable or not. What gives them the right?” she told the program.

What’s more infuriating, she added, was the double standard over who the rules at the pool, which call for being “adequately dressed”, don’t apply to male residents.

Kristy Miller. Picture: Instagram

Even an apology from the security team implied she was to blame for the incident, telling her that if “everyone follows the building rule, guards will never bother anyone”.

“There’s no rules for men. Not once did they go and attack any man. Men are fine to wear Speedos, that’s OK, but women’s bikini bottoms are not OK,” she said.

“(The security) can’t prey on women, they can’t shame women, they can’t victimise women. Who do they think they are? They won’t go and say this to a man. Clearly they’ve come across the wrong person here, and I’m willing to go all the way with this, to stand up so women don’t feel ashamed for what they’re wearing and they can wear a bikini.”

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The 39-year-old said she’s not the first resident at the Zetland complex who’s faced this kind of treatment. Picture: A Current Affair/Channel 9

Ms Miller said the same rules don't apply to male residents. Picture: Facebook

It’s not the first time a female occupant of the complex has encountered a situation like this, with Ms Miller saying she’d been “inundated” with messages from women with similar experiences over the last three years.

“Several women have felt attacked and victimised, women have even moved out of the complex. Another woman is now banned from the pool area,” she said.

In the Facebook post, Ms Miller wrote that a “lovely man” had approached her after the confrontation and informed her his girlfriend had been told the same things by that security guard.

“I’m appalled a male security guard thinks he has the right to tell females if their bikinis are appropriate. I’ve contacted my real estate and fair trading, which have advised me this is not appropriate and to get legal advice, which I’m in the process of doing,” she wrote.

“Please reach out if he also harassed you so we can ensure females aren’t humiliated & degraded in he place they live.”