Water Wear

The beauty of the classroom water environment is that everyone is stepping down into the water. In the water students see each other face to face. The water provides a gentle hug (hydrostatic pressure) around the body and even serves as a misty blanket of sorts that makes it very hard for students to examine and see each other's bodies.

For some of us the thought of putting on a swimsuit to wear in a public environment can feel very uncomfortable. Being seen in this way may create a sense of feeling overly exposed. Unfortunately, media these days can aggravate a harmful and unhealthy view of our body image by the constant barrage of polished images that clash with the reality of what a real everyday human body looks like.

That being said, I like to tell students that there are many other options with water wear. The traditional swimsuit is not at all a requirement. I wear swim capris or swim shorts and a swim tankini top. I've seen students wear shorts and a t-shirt they don't mind getting wet. I have had students come wearing a burkini. The important thing is that you feel comfortable with what you wear and that the clothing allows you to move with your body in the water safely.