Is swimming a political act?

Wild swimming is quietly rebellious, an act of advocacy for public rights to natural spaces, says Simon Griffiths

I started Outdoor Swimmer magazine because I wanted to share my love of swimming and all the health and wellbeing benefits that come from it. There was nothing political about it.

But politics has a way of finding you, even if you don’t seek it out. Over the years, I’ve been invited to speak with Members of Parliament about issues linked to swimming, I’ve taken part in demonstrations, I’ve campaigned for cleaner water, I’ve sat on various committees, and I’ve been interviewed on television.

These are clear political activities, but when we decided to theme this issue around swimming politics, it struck me that swimming itself is a political activity.

Political statement

Every time you deliberately enter a body of water, you make a statement about your desire and right to do so. Wild swimming is quietly rebellious. You may, at times, swim in places where it’s forbidden or your rights of access are unclear. The more you do it, the more you establish it as a normal, safe, and reasonable thing to do. It’s a direct challenge to restrictive access laws and an act of advocacy for public rights to natural spaces.

When you swim, you claim not only your right to be there, but also demonstrate that you expect those responsible to ensure the water is clean and safe to enter. Unfortunately, swimming may bring you face-to-face with pollution and environmental degradation. Your swimming highlights the need for environmental protection and conservation. It’s a form of protest against pollution and a call for , cleaner, healthier ecosystems.

Even if you just swim for your personal pleasure and to support your own physical and mental health, it’s still a political act. Your swimming demonstrates the value of investment in natural resources.

Community power

Moreover, open water swimming fosters a sense of community among swimmers. As we’ve often seen, community can be a powerful political force. Being part of the swimming community helps us appreciate that we’re not isolated in our concerns and boosts our confidence to tackle them. The collective voice of swimmers can influence policy and bring about change.

Finally, outdoor swimming has a long history and cultural value. By taking part, you help preserve and promote these cultural practices and make a statement about the importance of cultural heritage and identity. This in turn places pressure on those in power to value and protect them.

While I frequently use these pages to encourage you to engage in traditional political activities to support outdoor swimming, I know not everyone is willing or has the time to do that. But swimming itself is political. There are lots of good reasons to swim more often and in more places. The fact that your swimming may lead to political change is maybe one you hadn’t considered before, but it is.

Keep on swimming!