A 67-year-old trans woman has dived headfirst into controversy—literally—by swimming topless to protest Swim England’s trans-exclusionary policies. Anne Isabella Coombes, a seasoned competitor and no stranger to public swimming lanes, made her bold statement after being banned from competing in the female category and relegated to the new “open” division—formerly the male one.
Coombes, who transitioned in 2020, had previously received approval to swim with women after petitioning the UK’s governing body in 2022. But Swim England flipped the script in 2023, enforcing a policy that bans anyone not assigned female at birth from joining female races. Their solution? Create an “open” category for all “male, trans, or non-binary” athletes—because apparently grouping marginalized identities together in one vague, non-competitive bin counts as inclusion now.
“I asked them what costume I was supposed to wear,” Coombes recounted. “They told me I had to wear a female swimsuit—even though I was swimming with the men.” And that’s the moment she said, “Not today.” Instead, she showed up in men’s trunks and nothing else on top, pointing out the hypocrisy of being forced to identify herself visually as trans just to compete. Her topless protest wasn’t just about swimwear—it was about dignity, autonomy, and basic respect.
Gender Policing at 67? She’s Not Having It
Coombes didn’t make her statement for clout—she did it because the policy leaves no room for nuance, humanity, or lived experience. She spoke out, saying, “This policy isn’t thought through. It’s meant to hit trans people and nobody else.” And she’s not wrong. Forcing athletes to choose between public humiliation and exclusion is not a policy—it’s a punishment.
The rule allows officials to disqualify swimmers for not wearing the “right” costume. What they don’t say out loud is that the “right” costume often outs trans swimmers or forces them into categories where they’re misgendered. It’s gender policing with a whistle.
For the record, there is no scientific consensus that trans women hold an athletic advantage over cisgender women. But that hasn’t stopped organizations like Swim England from building entire frameworks based on the outdated myth of the “man’s body advantage.” It’s the same rhetoric used to justify banning queer people from bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams.
When the Pool Becomes a Protest Site
The LGBTQ community knows that visibility often comes at a price—but Coombes made sure her protest didn’t go unnoticed. Her topless swim echoed a recent protest in Scotland where topless trans activists demonstrated outside Parliament, challenging lawmakers who cling to biology-based definitions of womanhood. As protestor Sugar put it, “If the Supreme Court can see these women legally as men, then they’ll have zero issue with them going tops off.”
Let’s be crystal clear: trans women are women. What Coombes did wasn’t about showing skin—it was about baring the truth. When institutions design policies to isolate and shame, defiance becomes a form of survival.
Coombes may not have left the pool with a medal, but she left with something stronger: a message that’s rippling through the waters of the LGBTQ community and beyond. The era of silent acceptance is over—especially when the policies are this transparent in their discrimination.