Response to the French Government Banning "Burquinis"
With Islam being the second largest religion in France after Roman Catholicism, it’s surprising that the government is continually making it harder for Muslim people to live their lives, including their recent banning of “Burquinis” from public beaches throughout France.
“Burquinis” are a swim suit designed by Lebanese – Australian designer Aheda Zanetti that covers the whole body, except the face and feet but still allows for movement such as swimming. These swim suits make it easier for Muslim women who want to swim, but still want to preserve their modesty according to Islamic tradition.
Even with this easy convenience, the French government still makes meaningless laws that prohibit their Muslim population from following their religion. In a recent situation last week Wednesday a woman was banned from a swimming pool in France because she was wearing a swimming suit that covered her whole body thus deeming it a “danger for other swimmers” by the French government. What kind of impression is this supposed to give the world internationally about equality in France? In a comment released by the French last week Wednesday is was suggested that the only way women could go about living in France was if they walked around half naked. This conclusion not only being drawn from the recent incident at the public swimming pool but also from the 2004 “French Headscarf Ban” that stressed a separation of state and church, thus banning religious symbols such as the Muslim veil, the Jewish kippah and large Christian crosses from being worn in school. Why is it that not only Muslim women, but also any woman has to dress half naked to be accepted in France? This question coming as an extreme blow to the French motto of “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” meaning Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. What kind of equality can the French claim to harbor if a women is denied the right to swim with her family because she is wearing a bathing suit that does not expose her entire body. While the French government does claim that the banning spurred from public hygiene reasons there has been uproar amongst the Muslim community that it is not so.
France should be honored to have such a large Muslim population as most of them are the second generation of immigrants who sought refuge in France from war plagued countries in the Middle East at the time. In Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical novel Persepolis, Marjane migrates to France in her late twenties as to escape the restrictions of women in Iran at that time. On the other hand look what the current reputation Islam has in France now. There are religious restrictions in schools, beaches, and public swimming pools. What’s next?
~ Stephanie Harris
The following videos exhibit the spread of Islam throughout France and various opinions of the banning of head scarves in school.
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Zinëb El Omari
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... i think this fair since the one rule is for all reiligons: "banning religious symbols such as the Muslim veil, the Jewish kippah and large Christian crosses from being worn in school. " But i dont really agree with this, "Why is it that not only Muslim women, but also any woman has to dress half naked to be accepted in France" half of my family or more live in France they never said that, i think people exagerate that is ... & for real Liberty, equalityfraternity is in France, okay i have to admit that racism exist but the thing is we dont have to generalise and go to the govrmt because it is not but it is THE SOCIETY that has so many stereotypes... and it is everywhere not only france!! |
alana medina
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... From Yahoo news: "Under the policy, swimmers are not allowed in pools with baggy clothing, including surfer-style shorts. Only figure-hugging suits are permitted." ""These clothes are used in public, so they can contain molecules, viruses, et cetera, which will go in the water and could be transmitted to other bathers," Guillaume said in a telephone interview." It's not a question of discrimination, really. But I do see your point. However, one can argue: how can we truly be equal if we have such things as religion dividing us? Crosses, hijabs, kippahs all allow us to segregate ourselves. We naturally want to be part of a pack or a group, it's only human nature. We segregate ourselves by outward appearances. I think the French government is going for a forced togetherness kind of thing which many people are going to see as not necessarily PC. While I appreciate your stance, I don't agree that any of this is discrimination. I do, however, believe that the French government, however good their intentions, is wrong to force their opinion on people who wish to wear such religious garb. |
Stephanie Harris
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... To Zineb: YES. The society does have sterotypes, but it is the goverment that enforces thoose sterotypes and makes them official by making these ridiculous laws. and YES racism is a concept that exists everywhere but it is not like in America we ban hijabs, kippahs, or large crosses. To Alana: Ummm, I don't know about you but I don't I've seen a Muslimwoman walking around with a "burquini" on. I don't think they go gallavanting around through public parks and public restrooms with these suits on anyways. Swim suits come in all different sizes. In some swimminmg pools they even allow people with baggy T- Shirt to swim. Some of these T- Shirts bear in mind are much more loose than the "burquinis". "These clothes are used in public." Right. I'm sure after a Muslim woman goes swimming shes gonna jump right in her car and go grocery shopping. In addition to that? Religion dividing us. That's ridiculous. If someone came up to me to ask me a question I wouldn't say oh sorry can't talk to you, you're Muslim. No, never. I would instead invite them with open arms. Religion does not divide us. It is people that seperate eachother from other people. Do not put their religion into play. I agree with you; it is human nature that we will naturally congregate into groups. But that does not mean we are officially segregating oursevles. It just means that we associate with people who we find similar to us. I highly doubt that in every single French school EVERY single Muslim girl, or EVERY single Jewish boy, or EVERY single Christian person were denied by their peers becuase of religous indifference. Everyone is given a choice. Now that Islamic girls cannot be given the choice of if they can wear the hijab to school they are forced to go to private Islamic schools. The goverment is quietly segregating Muslim pupils away from their schools with this ban. How can we get that feeling of "togetherness" when you are not allowed to wear what you like? Thats how we express oursevles and get that feeling of togetherness you speak of. How can we get this feeling of togetherness, when we feel isolated becuase of our religion. Tell me. |
alana medina
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... Well, the fact that the burquini covers most of the body means that it is able to drag on the ground and collect dust particles more easily than say, a baggy t-shirt. I don't know how strict the pool in question is with it's rules on what you can and cannot wear in the pool. And I was by no means saying that we consciously separate ourselves by religion, it's more unconsciously than anything. Of course, if someone of a different belief system came up to me, with a huge cross around their neck, I wouldn't deny them friendship either, as I'm sure none of our French peers would either. I wasn't implying that these rules indeed enforce togetherness, I was saying that the French government has gravely mis-assessed the situation. I myself believe that taking away the right to wear a hijab is not the right way to go about this situation. I think that, due to the lack of religiosity represented in French government, they view religion as a divider, and thus they've come up with these rules. I think that the French government doesn't realize how they're really forcing segregation upon France's youth. They never expected Muslim women to leave their public schools for private Islamic schools. Because they do not come from such a culture, they don't realize how important religion is to certain groups. It's sad in a way, because the government represents the people and how can government represent its people, if they don't really understand their people? |
