A row has erupted at a surf lifesaving club on the New South Wales Central Coast over its policy regarding nudity in its showers and change rooms.
Nada Pantle regularly uses the change rooms at the Terrigal Surf Lifesaving Club to shower after an early morning ocean swim and before she goes to work.
But she recently received a warning letter from the club claiming she had breached the club's nudity in change rooms policy.
"The board has advised members that nudity is not acceptable as per the Child Safe Policy," the letter stated.
"Should you continue to ignore the rules, you will be subject to disciplinary action, and/or … termination of your membership."
Ms Pantle said she was extremely shocked and stressed after receiving the letter.
"They didn't say what I did or who had made a complaint, but it sort of implied I'd done something almost sexual," she said.
"At some point, you've got to take your clothes off to get your other clothes on. That's why we have change rooms."
"I almost feel like I've been body shamed."
Terrigal SLSC is one of the busiest of the 15 clubs on the state's Central Coast, with 949 members, including 362 juniors.
The Surf Lifesaving Australia Policy on change rooms states members should "not shower or change at the same time as supervising groups of children."
It also states that members should "not undress and avoid using a changing room with a child unless there are other people present."
Terrigal SLSC spokesperson Julie Redfern has defended her club's policy.
"We've been getting complaints for many, many years around children being exposed to naked adults in our shower area," she said.
"I've even had my own son telling me more than 10 times how uncomfortable he feels."
She said the club had decided on the policy to make children feel safer.
"We're just asking our swimmers to have a shower in their cossies and then get changed with a towel around them or in the toilet cubicle," she said.
Associate member Wendy Farley said she found the policy confusing.
"How can you have a shower and get changed in a change room without being nude?" she asked.
"I think that's a bad message for all women. To cover your nudity and be ashamed of it."
According to Central Coast Surf Lifesaving, Terrigal Surf Club is due for some renovations and part of this will address the suitability of change room facilities and showers.
"At the moment [we] are in the process of doing a renovation that will include [the] installation of cubicles," Ms Redfern said.
Ms Pantle has since resigned from the club, but has this parting advice.
"Nothing beats parental responsibility and supervision in change rooms," she said.
