The facts are: a woman in France takes her family to a local swimming pool dressed in the modern "burkini" style swimsuit -- it's OK for a while, but finally she is formally asked to leave -- the reason given is "hygienic reasons" (I can recall certain public pools that we cannot swim in with shorts and tops of any kind, for hygenic reasons).
So one cannot swim in public in France (and some other places in this world) if one wishes to be modestly attired.
If someone can give me the doctor's report on modest attire in pools being unhygienic, PLEASE pass it on. I don't understand this one, and am not willing to wade through the comment sections of the various reports on this to find it.
Here are a few, some with illustrations:
- http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/08/12/Woman-in-burkini-banned-from-pool/UPI-73581250121344/
- http://www.xpress4me.com/news/uae/dubai/20014554.html
- http://www.theweek.com/article/index/99470/The_ban_on_French_burkinis
- http://www.smh.com.au/national/burqini-creator-pours-water-on-french-ban-20090813-eiyk.html
http://bollywood.rightcelebrity.com/?p=1267
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EDIT: The hygiene rule was bugging me, so I wanted to pass this on to you all as well. The health issue as addressed in the press:
Of course, I also found this comment elsewhere ..."An official in charge of swimming pools for the Emerainville region, Daniel Guillaume, said the refusal to allow the local woman to swim in her "burquini" had nothing to do with religion and everything to do with public health standards.
"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.
"We reminded this woman that one should not bathe all dressed, just as we would tell someone who is a nudist not to bathe all naked," he said.
Guillaume said France's public health standards require all pool-goers to don swimsuits for women and tight, swimming briefs for men - and caps to cover their hair. Bathers also must shower before entering the water."
"Just having people in a giant tub of water is pretty unhygenic. That's why they chemically treat them. So I think maybe the reason, isn't so reasonable."For more on unhygienic swim pool behaviour, see this article at About.com
7 comments:
I really don't get the argument that it's not hygienic. The burqini is basically a diving suit with a skirt. I can understand not wanting hanging cloth that can get caught in the pumps, but that's why the suit is somewhat fitted.
I'm not Muslim, but I'd wear that! These days I basically opt not to swim in public. I thought something like that didn't exist anymore. But less than 100 years ago, women wore similar EVEN BAGGIER swimwear on our shores.
Argh. Yes, the clothes can acquire viruses and bacteria...just like the smaller amount of clothes most people wear swimming, and for that matter their body. Public pools (/lakes/etc) are gross and bacteria-filled ALL THE TIME.
The argument seems to be that they think a burkini is worn all the time, like normal clothes, if I get that right. Granted, I don't know because I don't swim at all, but I don't think that sounds right. It is just used as a swimsuit like everyone else's, right?
The thing is, burqinis are not everyday wear, they're specifically for swimming. So I don't see how it can be claimed that they collect viruses and bacteria while other swimwear...doesn't?
In France (and sometime in Germany) they have problems in general with "big" bathing clothes, for example man are required often to wear "speedo" style swim briefs, tight and rather minimal, instead of more bulky bathing trunks or boxer style swimming shorts are forbidden. For some people is a rather embarassing surprise...
I guess it is to avoid that people go swimming with things (think sigarette packages or money, or mobile phones ;-) ) in the pockets of the shorts, or that they keep their normal underwear on (YUCK!!!) underneath.
By this logic, should we consider SCUBA diving gear to be unhealthy as well?
The hygienic argument is such a load of nonsense! It's not as if a woman would wear a burkini all around town before coming to the pool.
Besides, pools are loaded with chemicals!
This is just a cheap excuse to ban a modestly dressed woman from the French public.
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