Burqini Troubles
Imagine this scene, one in which a woman sits on the edge of a swimming pool, teased by the cooling breeze wafting off the surface of the water. She occupies herself by reading a French novel, glancing up every now and then to make sure her young ones are not floating off into the deep end, or splashing chlorine into each other’s eyes. She looks longingly at the inviting depths of the cool water and observes the scene in front of her: many mothers like herself, escaping the hot day by enjoying dips in the pool with their children and fellow neighbors. They are all clad in bikinis and one-piece suits and other revealing bathing suits our character (though she is very real, as you will see) would not feel comfortable donning because of her chosen religious beliefs—ones that encourage her to embrace and practice modesty in daily life.
The previous day, she’d attempted to use the facilities but was stopped by swimming pool staff because her long-sleeved, head-to-toe outfit (though made of Lycra and other synthetic material like most other bathing suits) was deemed “inappropriate” and potentially “unsanitary”. What a bunch of hokum, right? Unfortunately my wild imagination (though I was blessed with one) did not invent this scenario. A Parisian swimming pool recently banned a woman dressed in a “burqini”, the ingenious solution to many Muslim women’s struggle to finding a modest enough bathing suit that allows them the convenience of cooling off in a public swimming pool on a sweltering summer day—because everyone should be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of summer, right?
Apparently, France doesn’t think so. Earlier this month, President Nicolas Sarkozy stated that, “…the burka – a garment covering women from head to toe – reduced them to servitude and undermined their dignity, “ (BBC). Excuse me? Who are you to tell me that my choosing to wear a burka, or any other type of clothing for that matter is a deduction that I am oppressed or enslaved? This is similar to the argument that women who choose to wear revealing clothing are responsible for the possible consequence of sexual harassment—however, I don’t see anybody banning mini skirts or tight jeans. While I agree with his personal views regarding the burqa (it is not a religious thing, it is cultural), I don’t believe he should use them to impose a law on his people. I would like to point out that the Parisian woman, CAROLE, is a convert and her new religion is something she CHOSE for herself. Monsieur Président, with all due respect, I do not feel that it is in your best interest to comment on the clothing of your citizens—it is not a sartorial position that you hold. If you wanted to head down that path, perhaps you should have taken on your wife’s career. It is not only discriminatory of you (choosing to base an entire speech on burkas…why not focus on low rise jeans, or tube tops for a change?) to voice your personal biases by attempting to make them French law, but it is also of misogynist nature—feeling the need to infringe upon a woman’s choice. Should you actually prove that these are not choices, but they are garments imposed on these women, I stand with you every step in the way to solve the situation. Similar to how some people believe that abortion is a woman’s choice, I believe the same rule applies to religion and practice of that religion.
On a similar tangent, since when were dress codes enforced on such a wide scale? Some people are choosing to bring the 80s back and some people want to bring modesty back—nothing wrong with that.
Let’s imagine another scene. This time, a group of mothers and young girls are splashing around in a swimming pool—some are practicing their backstrokes in the lane area. It is 90 degrees outside, but they do not feel the heat effects because they are taking advantage of the cool water. They are wearing brightly colored long leggings and long- sleeved Lycra tops because they want to feel comfortable in applying their religion, one that promotes modesty, in their daily activities—hence the non-traditional bathing suits. I didn’t make this one up either, folks, it’s common in the wonderful US of A. In fact, I was at my local gym last week, and saw a whole family of hijabis enjoying the swimming pool without anyone around paying them any attention—it made me smile. Our waters are just as sanitary as they were before people started swimming dressed in long bathing suits—France, you can even come check.
France, your act is over. You present yourself as a liberal, freethinking place. However, liberalism is a multi-faceted thing, mes amis (remember liberté, égalité,fraternité?), not something that is only displayed through allowing questionable content on TV during daylight hours. While freedom of the media is wonderful and all, ensuring your citizens’ sense of comfort and equality is just as great. You cannot expect me to stand by and believe that this is not an act of discrimination. You say everyone is “free and equal” in your country, yet you create rules that target certain groups. This entire situation reminds me of black Americans during the antebellum period—they were often disenfranchised because of sneaky laws such as the poll tax and reading tests that were knowingly implemented to do just that. It’s the equivalent of saying, “Sure, you’re free now. You just can’t vote.” In the French case, it would be “Sure, your passport says you’re French like us, but you can’t wear that oppressive thing if you want your status to last.” Whoever said “Muslim is the new black” was right. Americans today are not proud of this past history, and you, France, do not want your legacy to include (along with smelly cheese and American superiority) modern day discrimination.
I personally do not wear any religious (or cultural) covering, but as a Muslim who stands in support of her sisters, and as a citizen of the world, I ask this of everyone: how are we going to advance towards human solidarity and successful discourse if we carp over the silliest things such as bathing suits?
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While I agree, even as a French guy, with the fact that this silly decision taken by a local swimming pool manager is totally pointless I disagree with the way this post seems to consider that this case would be an example for some kind of religiously founded “modern day discrimination” putting the French reputation at stake.
In France, all public swimming pools prohibit long male bathing suits (trunks) for pretended hygienic issues (the issue is said to be to avoid that people would wear them all day long and come to the swimming pool at the end of the day without changing).
The decision taken in this case is grounded on exactly this principle and not on any discrimination of any kind.
I still consider this decision pointless and agree with the fact that burkinis should be allowed, as should trunks…
Hi Daniel,
Great comments. I want to point out that this post is not meant to reflect the French people overall because my personal experience traveling in France and with French people I’ve met has been very rewarding and wonderful. However, I would like to point out that in light of the past events such as the banning of the hijab in public schools as well as the recent talks about banning the burqa (the Parisian woman in the article I quoted was allowed to swim in the burkini one month prior to the incident, but after Sarkozy’s talks regarding the burka, the pool staff changed their mind and used the hygienic excuse…coincidence? In my opinion, I think not.), which are both things commonly associated with Muslims although like I mentioned, the burka is not mentioned in the Quran nor in Islam, this seems like a direct attack on this large minority of France. Also, the woman herself, Carole, comes from a traditional French family and herself feels discrimination.
Merci pour votre commentaire!
It can not be excluded that Sarkozy’s talk had an influence. It could also only be that she wasn’t really noticed the first time.
The point with such events is that they are generally used and distorted by both sides of the opinion, making any conclusion dangerous except if one really has first hand verified information.
Drawing from the few elements at hand the conclusion of an attack on a minority seems to me a little exagerated.
About Sarkozy’s talk, it is interesting to note that the parliamentary commission created to work on the burqa issue after the speech came to the conclusion within a few weeks that a law was pointless because…it would apply only to 400 women.
I personnally disagree (thus agreeing with you) with the meddling of laws into vestimentary issues as a matter of principle. I believe that the conclusion drawn by the commission is only a fake excuse they were glad to find not to continue a pointless debate : the real reason why a law should not be adopted is because it would be a much to far curtailing of the individual liberty to dress like you wish.
According to Al Arabiya, a woman wearing a burkini was also banned from swimming in an Egyptian pool – http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/07/16/78914.html
I am curious to hear the author’s take on this event in a Muslim country – was this, too, an example of discrimination?
I agree with the author and previous poster Daniel that a law truly banning a burkini or burka would be an unfair curtailing of individual liberties.
However, I have to disagree with the author on a few points – one, this one instance does not constitute “enforcement on a wide scale.” Do you know how many women wearing burkinis are able to swim happily in public French swimming pools? You’d have to be able to show that this example was one of many before it becomes “enforcement on a wide scale,” otherwise it’s just unnesscarily exaggerating what happened.
Also most public and prviate spaces have a set of basic rules regarding clothing; and there is a difference between these clothing rules and fashion (which you forgot when you made the comment about 80s clothing). Fashion is about a type of clothing, not whether or not it exists on a person’s body. For example, nude beaches or topless beaches are clearly marked so that no one is offended or surprised at such rules. In most shops in the US, you cannot enter if you are not wearing a shirt and shoes – “no shirt, no shoes, no service.” This includes women in bikini tops – that does not count as a shirt and women (and men!) must put on covering before entering. The rules about shirts and shoes are in place for public health purposes. Nude beach signs are posted so that everyone has a fair warning and will not be shocked or offended.
Therefore, if it is true as Daniel said that French pools also have rules about not allowing men to wear swimming trunks that (for example) reach below their knees for so-called public health reasons, I agree with Daniel there is no reason why a similar rule should not be enforced on women too, and that this was not a case of discrimination.
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How absurd to tell people what to wear and what not to wear, I agree in the West we have absurd sights of women practically naked walking the streets, it does nothing for their self esteem but shows them as objects for men, simple as that. I did it as a teenager, and donot know what else I coul dhave done, it didn;t make me any happier I can tell you. On the other hand, in our society, if women are going around fully covered it will create a schism, an unapproachability, an impossible situation which is evident for all to see, I have centuries of being able to see and judge another person by their face, I will never be able to change that, and I do not like not to be able to see somebody’s face, and I am as liberal and pro palestinian as you can get, I just do not like to see it on the streets of the UK. I see the results in the comments of ignorant people, it does not help our society in any way at all, it creates division and misunderstanding. None of my muslim friends agree with it and that is good enough for me. Keep it to a country where everybody, sadly, goes around like this. I do not see it as a badge of freedom, it is part of a patriarchal society which I cannot tolerate after too may centuries of fighting patriarchy here in the UK. My freedom here in the UK has been fought at a price, I am not prepared to go down a road which increases a partiarchal road of blinkered thinking and control of women. check out the extremes, say, the Taliban, and you will see what I mean, no schooling for girls, attacks on women, incarceration in houses etc. No way. Do what you want by all means, but the price for me is too high.
Thank you so much Sarah for such an eloquent piece. The picture you painted poignantly describes an example of a woman feeling discriminated against by a man in power. Regardless of whether the intent of the swimming pool supervisor was to follow a sanitation rule or to discriminate against a Muslim, it serves to bring attention to the intense cultural world war we all live in.
I wish I could articulate like you do how I feel about these issues. I have the passion, but not always the words. I agree with whomever said we are all oppressed, and we are all oppressors. Of course, it’s what we do to end oppression that really matters and putting yourself out here to have a conversation like this is the kind of thing that will eventually change the world.
I think Daniel and Jessica make some really good points. I don’t know anything about the rules about swimming garments in France. I do know that when living in a culture where the dominant group disrespects individual, private, moral and ethical choices, most behavior is and will be interpreted as oppressive. I wish I knew of a place where that didn’t happen.
I can understand why westerners are uncomfortable with the sight of a woman in a burqa. The first time I saw a woman in a burqa, walking behind her husband and children on the street in San Francisco, I completely turned myself around in the passenger seat of the car I was riding in. As a feminist all of my sensors went up and I felt concern for this woman. But of course this was my ignorance. Just as I believe every woman should have the choice to do or be whatever she wants, so should every woman have the choice to wear a burqa. For Muslim woman who do not want to wear a burqa, but perhaps are forced to by the men in her life, there would be no liberation by a rule or law, set by President Sarkozy or the swimming pool supervisor if they banned it. Liberation can only come when one is free to make the choice for herself.
I am still trying to learn something and still cannot accept not to see a person’s face, it is how I have survivived all my life, a quick instinct about somebody, I am sure I have avoided some terrible situations and am still alive to tell the tale because I could judge somebody by their face, a face does not lie, and I need to see it. Its a deeply existential question which I do not answer lightly, I am trying to get my head around this just as I am trying to get my head around making a sharia law which says a woman must stay at home until her husband gives her permission to go out, that she must submit to sex or be punished etcetera. Unacceptable, we can make cultural and religious rules for ourselves just as the taliban do, and I cannot give up my precious freedoms for anybody so yes, the battle continues whether I can accept wholeheartedly every cultural difference I am presented with. So far, not. On a demonstration in Trafalgar Square for Palestine I wore a scarf, to see how it would be as I approached others, and I was attacked verbally, by my own countrymen, (angered that somebody who was obviously not arabic and who looked English was wearing a scarf!)I saw it first hand – so I see what women with headscarves have to put up with but it is changing here in the UK as more and more teenagers openly wear scarves all the time.
Re: the discussion of burqa- this is the garment that only reveals the eyes, similiar to the niqab. the hijab, however, is the head covering. Sarkozy referred only to burqa and niqab- the hiding of the face, which is against human dignity. I dontthink that it is our cultural upbringing that makes us rely on the identification of an individual by the face. I think it is the way humans are best able to identify others. Therefore, it is offensive to me in the extreme. However,another reason it is something that shouldbe banned(400 women or less) is that is a security issue, just as are all face coverings. due to the need humans have to identify by recognition of the face.
right! Jack Straw our awful UK foreign minister (who happens to be jewish) banned a teacher from wearing the burqa and rightly so, I would have withdrawn my child, I also will not be treated by a doctor whose face I cannot see, and my muslim doctor friends do not see the point of wearing sich a thing either, so I am not alone in my opinions. I guess it was brilliant once to hide a suicide bomber but…I think there should be a universal ban as the dignity of the women and security are uppermost. I mean, if it to hide themselves against the licentious gaze of men, shouldn’t men change their dirty habits, why should the woman conform, it is not her who has the rude thoughts, well, not on such a scale!
I agree with you…I too prefer to see someones face, for the many reasons the responses here have outlined. I just don’t know that bans and laws are the way to liberate someone. It is just treating the symptom, not the problem.
Dear Sarah, (The world)
First and formost, let me congrt.. you for passing the driving test. No one told me anything about it, but my guts/ guess. Few days ago (8/16) my front lobe start firing some GABA, MAO, and the pharm
into my neurones. You are an excellent driver…You should’ve nailed it by now.
Promess me, next time you’ll take me to that parking lot, ha ha ha
Regarding your article, I may say, I was not surprised, but rather proud of you. I am aware of your writing skills and prouess. for quite sometime now, but never had the chance to read such a piece like this. It’s eloquent and insghtful.
Sarkosy took too much liberty, he’s being too critical and argumentative in many cutural/religious issues, just to mention few…Comme on dit, il est un “peu, peut être trop imbu de préjugés, il est prétentieux et vaniteux sur certains points. He seems unawre of his faux pas…
I hope one of his aids in the Elysée Press dept. will serve him your piece with his morning café before his jogging session. If he’s a man of substance, he would cancel his outing that day, and think about his mistakes of the lst 28 months in office, sic!
Bravo Sarah, keep good work.
Dr. Jay J. Hamdouch
As a muslim, I find that the idea of a muslim woman wearing the Burqua-or a muslim man for that matter- and going to a swimming pool defeats the core purpose of this religion. I honestly tend to agree with the pool management and their decision. To swim, you have got to wear swim gears. Pools are for swimmers wearing trunks and bathing suits. What would be next? North african aged women coming with their Jellabas and all the garments underneath asking bathe? If you are a practicing muslim(a), you should not be in such places in the first place.
I do disagree wholeheartedly with the French governement for banning the scarf from schools. I would categorize it as xenophobia without hesitation. I have studied in France for few years and I have been the subject of many racial slurs. I have seen people being refused from coffee shops/retaurants just beacuse they looked North African. Racism is alive an well in france, no doubt about that. The Government that is supposed to help the people is really the main culprit in my opinion. It does not do nearly enough to tackle this problem.
Thank you for the comment, Jay, and also the lessons.
In the UK mosques have ordered a compulsory dress code for muslims, and non muslims are not allowed in muslim sessions, which as you can imagine is causing utter divisiveness here, none of this is helping foster any kind of social cohesion and is only causing prejudice on a French scale, the French have never dealt well with immigrants well from day one, whereas we in the UK have always tried to foster integration and it works, mostly. The knifing and shootings you hear about in London and other cities are black on black in 90% of the cases (why do they hate eachother so much
) With the new muslim rules, it will blow the whole country apart and we cannot allow this to happen, so you see how things harden and become intransigent and hatred and wars develop, there has to be another way! I am not prepared to give up my freedoms in any way, and I think that if the rules of this country do not suit ultra religious people (and most people I know are atheists) then move on to a country where you can practise your faith. But people love the UK, fight to get here, so oyu must ask yourself why.
Pam,
Your fear of women wearing a burqua is unjustified I reckon. You don’t have to see a muslim doctor wearing a burqua, nor do you have to place your kids with a teacher who is covered. Since you are a Brit I assume, you are full aware that the UK and The US claim to be the leaders of the FREE world. So why Muslim women cannot enjoy that freedom also? Why can’t they be doctors, teachers, surgeons, nannies, lawyers or just regular housewives that have different way of dressing and contribute to society as other women do? The general public is not obligated to see theses doctors etc…If you have a fear regarding covered women, some muslims actually prefer the idea. For instance, a muslim woman would rather be seen by a woman than an OBGYN man. You have got to look at this issue from both side, not just yours. Those muslims that are currently in the UK -most of which are from the Indian sub-continent- have been brought up years ago to help develop the infrastructure of the Uk. The British government knew they were muslims, they knew their way of life and how they dressed. They did not seem to object to that back then…So why now? Why all the fuss about the burqua now?