Elle_Australia_Sep_2019

MYSWIMSUITDIDNOTHINGtoprotectmefromthefrigid

sprayofwatershootingoutofthetap.“That’sthecoldshower,but

if youwaita minute,it usuallywarmsup,”saida voicea fewfaucets

downfrommeinthecommunitypoolshowers.I turnedtosee

a woman,about75,latheringshampoointoherthinninggreyhair

andusingtheexcesssudsasbodywash,carefulnottowaste

a singlebubble.It tookmea secondtoregisterthatshehadpulled

herfloralone-piecedowntoherwaistwhileshewas talking.

Embarrassed,I turnedmyattentionbacktotheshower,listeningas

sheletmeinonthesecretforwheretosafelystoremytowelonthe

pooldeck.Avoidingeyecontact,I forcedmyselftostandunder

theslowlywarmingwaterjustlongenoughtogetthechlorine out

ofmyhairasI respondedtothetiledwallinfrontofme.

I had justfinishedmyfirstTuesdaymorning aquafitclass.

Ihadn’tknownwhattoexpectasI rodethebustothepool

earlierthatmorning— althoughit definitelywasn’ta heart-to-heart

withahalf-nakedseptuagenarian.AllI knewwasthatIwas

excitedtogo.I’dbeenwantingtotryaquafitsinceI waseight

and my grandma took us swimming at her local pool. I was

LIFE

WHAT THE ENTIRELY

UNSELFCONSCIOUS

OLDER LADIES IN

AQUAFIT CL ASS

TAUGHT ONE

WOMAN ABOUT

BODY ACCEPTANCE

BY JENNA HAZZARD

SWIMMING

LESSONS

162