Amputee: Would I offend you at the swimming pool?

[Cyclone 10]

I am a below knee amputee, I lost my left leg in a road traffic accident 6 years ago. While im very used to my injury, i recently took up swimming, and was dismayed to find that, i wasnt exactly welcome at certain swimming pools i have visited. Four of them ive been asked to leave due to my 'stump' making others uncomfortable, one pool manager even claimed it was obscene!!

An elderly lady at another screamed at me that i shouldnt be allowed to swim in public baths 'looking like that!' i wondered if i could get the general publics view on this matter...

I work full time, i drive and live a very active normal life, i have never come across this sort of discrimination before, and i have to say its stunned me...

 

That's outrageous, you should write and complain to the pools that asked you to leave, surely that's discrimination and illegal.

[dazzler4 10]

n*b heads! discrimination! how can if be offensive????

[Allen 38]

I've just read this thread and it digusts me that people reacted towards you in this way.

I truly hope your complaint is taken seriously.

As others have said, keep on swimming and enjoy yourself.

[Plain Talker 11]

I'd have booted her when she past

 

Agreed. I would imagine that the prosthetic leg could be very effective as a Bolas if slung at the perpetrators. ( laughs, evilly :evil : )

 

(my wheelchair footrest used to be very effective, against the utter idiots who used to stand, gossiping, and blocked the aisles in the market when my ex hubby would push me through as we got our shopping.)

 

It's a case of mind over matter, peak-polly:- they who matter, won't mind, and those who mind, well... they don't matter.

 

(oh, and PS, no, you would not offend me one little bit)

[peakma 10]

You certainly wouldn't offend me,and I'm surprised that you've been treated so badly.

Not sure how to put this,as I don't want it to come across wrong! I guess when something is different to the norm, it is human nature to look again.I may be slightly worried in you presence initialy,incase I looked again and offended you!But after a moment or two you'd just be another person in the pool.

Hypertheticaly,if I was in the pool with you and my kids,within ear shot of you,and they said "whats wrong with that ladies leg?"

Whats the best response I could have?

I would probably say something like" I don't know that lady so I don't know,some people are born with limbs missing,some ilnesses ,or accidents can cause damage so bad that parts have to be removed."

Or,"everyone is different,and it's not polite or kind to make personal comments"

To be honest I wouldn't know how to handle it for the best,in a way that didn't upset or offend you,but also but my child at ease,and satisfied the natural curiosity.

I would want to ask you,rather than talk about you and ignore you,but wouldn't want to appear nosy or intrusive.And I would assume if were to get asked about it frequently by strangers,it must get tedious feeling you have to explain yourself.

So in such incidents,as a parent,what would be the best way to handle it?

Hope that makes sense?

[Muriel 10]

I really hope Upperthorpe isn't one of the offenders, they seem well geared up for disabled swimmers. I'd also be happy to join a Forum swimmers' club if you want some company. Can't promise that I can chat and swim at the same time though, far too much like multi-tasking (not to mention knackering!). As all have said, I'm sorry to hear you've been so badly treated, it's very hard to believe, unfortunately, not impossible.

[frogger74 10]

i think she lying,no swimming pool would do that, and i dont think anyone would really say that. Attention seeker comes to mind.

[Halibut 12]

i think she lying,no swimming pool would do that, and i dont think anyone would really say that. Attention seeker comes to mind.

 

Then you're stupid and in a very very small minority.

[BJan 10]

i think she lying,no swimming pool would do that, and i dont think anyone would really say that. Attention seeker comes to mind.

 

I was really shocked to read the OPs story, and the rest of the thread showed that everyone else feels the same as me. Until you came along.... are you the attention seeker per chance?

 

To the OP, good on you for being so positive, and for reporting it. It will hopefully mean no-one else gets treated the way you were.

[peak-polly 10]

i think she lying,no swimming pool would do that, and i dont think anyone would really say that. Attention seeker comes to mind.

 

I would have ignored your post, however seeing as you've reffered to me as both a liar and attention seeker, im going to bloody well defend myself.

Lets get one thing straight, if i wanted attention-id go out and buy a dog, not have my leg amputated, secondly i dont enjoy being humiliated in public swimming pools in order to get attention!

Had you bothered to read other posts in this thread, you would have found im not the only one who's experienced this kind of treatment. If this kind of thing didnt go on, then why do we have organisations such as the DDA??

As for being a liar, well id expect that kind of thing from the very people who asked me to leave the pools in the first place-perhaps your one of those people? Im not surprised at your 'frogger' tag, obviously kermit isnt the only frog 'muppet'....

[peak-polly 10]

I really hope Upperthorpe isn't one of the offenders, they seem well geared up for disabled swimmers. I'd also be happy to join a Forum swimmers' club if you want some company. Can't promise that I can chat and swim at the same time though, far too much like multi-tasking (not to mention knackering!). As all have said, I'm sorry to hear you've been so badly treated, it's very hard to believe, unfortunately, not impossible.

 

A forum swimmers club sounds like an excellent idea muriel! perhaps we could arrange something!

[peak-polly 10]

You certainly wouldn't offend me,and I'm surprised that you've been treated so badly.

Not sure how to put this,as I don't want it to come across wrong! I guess when something is different to the norm, it is human nature to look again.I may be slightly worried in you presence initialy,incase I looked again and offended you!But after a moment or two you'd just be another person in the pool.

Hypertheticaly,if I was in the pool with you and my kids,within ear shot of you,and they said "whats wrong with that ladies leg?"

Whats the best response I could have?

I would probably say something like" I don't know that lady so I don't know,some people are born with limbs missing,some ilnesses ,or accidents can cause damage so bad that parts have to be removed."

Or,"everyone is different,and it's not polite or kind to make personal comments"

To be honest I wouldn't know how to handle it for the best,in a way that didn't upset or offend you,but also but my child at ease,and satisfied the natural curiosity.

I would want to ask you,rather than talk about you and ignore you,but wouldn't want to appear nosy or intrusive.And I would assume if were to get asked about it frequently by strangers,it must get tedious feeling you have to explain yourself.

So in such incidents,as a parent,what would be the best way to handle it?

Hope that makes sense?

 

It makes complete sense, thankyou for your post. I fully appreciate a parents predicument on this subject, and to be honest before my accident i wouldnt have fully known how to act around amputees, although my job has helped me to get a better understanding of disability. As a disabled person my advice to you as a parent would be to encourage your children to ask questions..its only natural that they would want to know why a person is different. Many children have asked me before about my leg and it is a pleasure to answer them. I wouldnt mind at all if you expalined to them in front of me why i am the way i am. Amputees in many cases are approachable and we would do our best to answer questions as honestly and matter of factly as possible.