Swimming With Modesty: Modest Swimwear, Women-Only Sessions and Accommodations

Modest dress doesn't have to keep you or your children from learning to swim. You can wear full-coverage swimwear made for the water, look for women-only or family swim times, and ask programs for simple accommodations, such as a female instructor or a private lesson.

This page is for Muslim, Orthodox Jewish, Sikh, Hindu and other families, and for anyone whose values or comfort shape what they wear and who they swim with. Modesty means different things to different families. Whatever it means to yours, there is usually a way to learn.

Modesty shouldn't keep anyone from learning to swim

For some families, swim attire is the reason they say no to lessons. Dr. Anisa Ibrahim, a Seattle pediatrician, wrote about this in a 2019 piece for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). When families at her clinic declined swim lessons "because of cultural reasons," one reason she identified was that "the attire most often required for swimming activities is not allowed by the religion or cultural norms practiced by the family." (opens in a new tab)

Her conclusion, as a hijab-wearing Muslim woman herself: the reason she saw few Muslim women and children in community pools "had little to do with whether they found swimming to be an important skill and more to do with religious accommodation." (The AAP notes that the views in the piece are the author's own.)

Our foundation's founding family is Bangladeshi-American, from Queens. In its September 2022 statement, the family wrote: "Lack of water safety/swimming education is rampant in the desi community as well as in other minority communities in the United States." Helping families find ways to swim that respect their values is part of answering that.

Modest swimwear that works in the pool

Full-coverage swimwear is made in many styles. Look for clothing designed for swimming, not everyday clothes. Common types include:

• Long-sleeved swim tops and rash guards
• Full-length swim leggings or swim pants
• Swim dresses or tunics worn over leggings
• Swim head coverings and swim hijabs
• Two- or three-piece full-coverage swimsuits (sometimes called burkinis)

Dr. Ibrahim writes that parents have the right to dress their children more modestly and still take part in swim lessons and sports. For example, she says, it should be acceptable to wear long-sleeved swimwear or leggings under shorts.

Check the pool's rules first. Each pool sets its own attire rules. At NYC Parks outdoor pools, for example, you need a swimsuit to enter (opens in a new tab), and only a plain white shirt or white hat is allowed for covering up; shirts with colors aren't allowed on the deck. Rules like these may not mention full-coverage swimwear at all, so call or ask a staff member before your first visit. Some pools also require swim caps.

Women-only and family swim times

Women-only sessions can make a big difference. In her AAP piece, Dr. Ibrahim describes a 2006 pilot in the Seattle area that created women's-only swim sessions, with female lifeguards and window shades. It grew into a weekly women's swim hour at several pools. "The opportunity to swim in a gender exclusive environment was so popular that there was overcrowding, and the slots often sold out."

Where to look:

• Community centers. In Queens, for example, Commonpoint Queens' Forest Hills pool schedule for September 14 to December 31, 2026 (opens in a new tab) lists women-only and women-and-girls-only swim times each week, as well as men-and-boys-only times. Ask Commonpoint who can use those times and what membership or fees apply.
• Your local YMCA or parks department. Ask whether they offer women-only swims, ladies' nights or family swim times, or would consider one.
• Private or semi-private lessons with a female instructor, if no women-only class is available. Dr. Ibrahim notes that gender-specific programs "may not be readily available," so this is often the practical choice.

Schedules change every season. Always check the provider's current page or call before you go.

How to ask a pool or program for accommodations

Dr. Ibrahim writes that families often don't know they can ask for accommodations, so they simply opt out. You can ask. Programs can't help with what they don't know about.

Things you might ask for:

• Permission to wear full-coverage swimwear
• A female instructor (or a male instructor for boys, if that matters to your family)
• A private or small-group lesson
• A private place to change
• Women-only or family swim times, or covered windows during those times
• Watching a class before you sign up

A simple script you can use or adapt:

"Hello, my daughter would like to take swim lessons. For religious reasons, she will wear full-coverage swimwear and needs a female instructor. Is that possible? If you don't have a women-only class, could we book a private lesson?"

If the first answer is no, ask whether anyone else at the program can help, or try another provider. Our swim lesson finder lists official locators to compare options.

Getting kids comfortable

• Let children see you learning. If a parent doesn't know how to swim, the USA Swimming Foundation says there is only a 19% chance (opens in a new tab) a child in the household will learn. Adults can take adult lessons too, including in women-only settings.
• Talk about why it matters. Learning to swim is about keeping each other safe, and that's a message grandparents and elders can share too.
• Try the swimwear at home first. Let your child get used to how it feels before the first lesson.
• Start young if you can. The AAP says many children can begin lessons at age 1, depending on readiness. See what age to start swim lessons.
• Be patient with nerves. If a child, or a parent, is afraid, see overcoming fear of the water.

Other common barriers, and ways around them

Modesty is only one reason families don't swim. These are others, with what helps.

• Cost. The Red Cross reports that 79% of children in households earning under $50,000 (opens in a new tab) have few to no swimming skills. What helps: free public programs and financial assistance. The AAP says many YMCAs, parks departments, schools and community groups offer free or low-cost lessons. In New York City, see free swim lessons in NYC.
• No pool nearby. CDC reports that a survey found lack of a nearby pool was a major barrier to swim lessons (opens in a new tab) for Black and American Indian and Alaska Native people. What helps: school-day swim programs, summer outdoor pools, and asking community groups to arrange group transport.
• History. CDC links today's swimming gaps partly to the history of racially segregated pools and pool closures after integration. Many families simply never had the chance to learn. That is not a family's fault, and it can change in one generation.
• Language. What helps: the Red Cross offers free online water safety courses (opens in a new tab) for parents in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Ask programs whether staff speak your language.

The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan (2023-2032), described in a 2024 CDC report, calls for affordable, accessible and culturally competent swimming lessons. Asking for accommodations is part of making that real.

We could not find official U.S. data on swimming ability in South Asian or Bangladeshi-American communities, so we don't quote any. For more on water safety in desi communities, see water safety in South Asian communities. For mosques, temples, gurdwaras, churches and synagogues, see water safety for faith communities.

What you can do today

1. Decide what your family needs: swimwear, a female instructor, women-only times, or a private lesson.
2. Call one pool or program and ask, using the script above.
3. If you're in Queens, check Commonpoint's current pool schedule for women-only times.
4. Choose swimwear made for the water, and let your child try it at home.
5. Share this page with a friend, relative or community group that has the same questions.