"Swim in the Lady Pond" Is How Some People Describe a Pretty Specific Act
Fans of 'The Real Housewives' franchise might have heard the phrase on TV.
Published Oct. 20 2025, 1:31 p.m. ET
In a world of internet abbreviations, apparently it isn't enough for people to say "WTF" or "LOL" in real life and online. They also have to have little euphemisms that come and go like waves. For some, it's the phrase "swim in the lady pond." And if you've never heard it before a random TikTok user commented about it on a video or someone used it in a podcast, you're probably wondering what the heck swim in the lady pond means.
Like most sayings that people use to be a little cheeky, it's one that means something a little bit inappropriate. Actually saying its meaning instead of using the phrase isn't going to get anyone in trouble by any means, though. For some, there is more fun in making up phrases or using well-worn ones to say something … without saying it.
The meaning behind "swim in the lady pond" is kind of obvious.
According to Urban Dictionary, "swim in the lady pond" is a phrase used to describe a same-sex relationship between two women. To use it in a sentence, you might say "Sharon took a swim in the lady pond during college." It's not the best way to explain someone's sexual history, and really, you probably shouldn't be commenting on Sharon's past experiences, but you get the picture.
Just because "swim in the lady pond" is an established phrase used by people in actual conversations, it doesn't mean everyone loves it. On a Reddit thread about Bravo producer Andy Cohen asking someone from The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast about taking a swim in the lady pond, users agreed that the phrase is not as clever as Andy believes it is.
Who came up with "swim in the lady pond"?
It's not entirely clear how the phrase came to be, but for some Bravo fans, there is an understanding that Andy helped make it a "thing." He has asked plenty of his female celebrity guests on Watch What Happens Live if they have ever swam, or taken a dip, in the lady pond. When actor Cameron Diaz appeared on the show in April 2024, Andy didn't spare her in asking the same question.
He even once asked Oprah Winfrey the same question. However, he told Entertainment Tonight in June 2024, he regrets asking her that question.
"It meant so much to me that Oprah Winfrey did the show," he told the outlet. "It's gone brilliantly and I turn around and ask her if she's ever had sex with a woman. I mean, couldn't I leave it alone?"
The phrase is a way for some people to refer to same-sex relationships and experiences between women. For fans of Bravo shows, it's how some of them discuss who they might "take a dip" for in various reality franchises on the network. or, you can just use the real words without dancing around the topic with the slang phrase.