Muslim Women Thrown Out Of Pool For Wearing 'Burkinis' In France

The Telegraph:

Two Muslim women were ordered to leave a swimming pool in a French holiday village on the southwest coast for wearing body-covering "burkinis."

Read the whole story: The Telegraph

Comments

[spideymn]

11:04 AM on 07/30/2010

I guess the West won't be happy until the entire globe looks like an episode of sex in the city. It's amazing that these women try to cover themselves and people are outraged because they're perceived as victims of archaic Islamic sexism; but in essence what the West is saying to these women is "hey, take your clothes off!" and that's just okay with everyone?? That's not, in itself, oppressive and sexist?? What happened to live and let live? Take note women of the world, the only way you'll be free is if you give us a little show ;-)

[Raigerzero]

10:15 AM on 07/30/2010

To all of you: Why do you feel that you are justified in forcing Western symbolism onto the lives of Muslim woman who are willing to wear the burqa or burkini,etc; especially when these articles of clothing are used for a religious function and are not in conflict with any laws in France?

[Squeezer55]

09:14 AM on 07/26/2010

The underlying issue , as mentioned by others is that it is a test of present customs, mores , rules and regulations. Once this becomes accepted then separate swimming hours will be demanded , which is already done in many parts of Europe and Britain. It is what is ungenerously called " Islamocreep", a pervasive push to challenge present mores and customs in Western societies to suit their desires. What is particularly galling is that in many parts of the Middle East women are not allowed to go swimming in public pools - period. The mingling of men and women in a public pool is simply not allowed . I agree that if the Muslim community wants to insist on certain customs and mores in the pool then they should build their own pools . It would certainly reduce tension in their neighborhoods and cities.

[overcat]

08:17 PM on 07/27/2010

It's the difference between making your own choices and being content with that and wanting others to abide by your choices and screaming about discrimination if they don't.

[Christophe]

11:49 AM on 07/28/2010

Segregating men and women in public places is appalling to me.
After years of leniency, Western democracies are confronted with the necessity to define what kind of society that are and draw a line for what they are ready to accept in the name of diversity.
The French have taken a firm stance on this. Good for them. BTW, the French Muslims (mostly Berbers) in their wast majority have found a way to combine they faith and the French culture.

[CallMeIsmael]

01:40 AM on 07/26/2010

I am a Muslim, but I don't see a problem here. The pool has rules and should be respected. If these Muslim families feel that the rules are discriminatory, they can file complaints, but they should not force their way.

If anything, I see a business opportunity for Muslims in France and elsewhere in Europe to build recreational facilities (including swimming pools) that cater to the needs of the Muslim community.

[Musa1]

07:29 AM on 07/26/2010

The problem is there were no rules against 'burkinis' specifically and officials made a judgement call on the spot that its not an accepted swimsuit. The reality is this is like a scuba or wetsuit for swimming in lakes, rivers, oceans.
If a pool has a regulation against scuba and wetsuits, then burkini would fall under that.

But at some point, people dont like to see Muslim women covered more than their own women.

[overcat]

08:02 PM on 07/27/2010

"The problem is there were no rules against 'burkinis' specifically and officials made a judgement call on the spot that its not an accepted swimsuit."

The problem is that a burkini and a veil (read the article) do not fit within the rather restrictive rules about what is acceptable swimwear in the pool, much as any number of other clothing items - most in fact - don't. Facts matter.

"But at some point, people dont like to see Muslim women covered more than their own women."

Which people? Rules that predate current or recent controversies are not about those controversies, and the tired line that this issue is really all about people demanding that Muslim women show skin is delusional. That some Muslims and their sycophants insist that everything comes down to France wanting Muslim women to bare all is ludicrous. Muslims aren't the only people with feelings of body modesty, and there are inevitably many people who prefer not to wear the proscribed swimwear due to that. So how does it work that this is really all about baring Muslim women's flesh?

[Paula Ann]

08:45 AM on 07/26/2010

yep, a community center where women can comfortably enjoy a pool and other recreactional activity. excellent idea. in the ksa there were pools and spas where women and kids had hours or days that were exclusively for their use.

[amsam]

12:11 PM on 07/26/2010

There are actually already women only fitness gyms in the US and Australia called Curves. It was found that most women preferred exercising in an all-women environment. In the UAE there are also time slots for women only in pools and fitness centres. I would wonder though how that idea would take in Europe - they would probably say "Those Muslims are just not assimilating to the "culture" - they refuse to even swim in the same pools".

[GerryS]

11:32 PM on 07/25/2010

wow,

an attractive muslim woman,

I thought they covered up cuz they weren't attractive---------

[amsam]

05:03 AM on 07/26/2010

Nope - they cover up because they're modest and they value themselves, and so that not every Tom, Dick and Harry can get an eyeful.

[MrBwood]

11:20 AM on 07/26/2010

are you kidding ?

[Christophe]

01:50 AM on 07/30/2010

IF Tom, Dick and Harry get an eyeful they still will not become rapist. This is civilization.

IF his wife doesn't comply, Mustapha gets angry and this is what happens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCHqwhzsT0M.

[Musa1]

07:46 AM on 07/26/2010

By your logic, you wear pants because you're unattractive done below.

[janedoe31]

07:39 PM on 07/25/2010

good............rules are rules, laws are laws....................as soon as you lighten up the rules and laws, mayhem begins.................no means no........not well, ugh , maybe, perhaps it's NO!!!!

[Musa1]

07:31 AM on 07/26/2010

if they ban wetsuits and scuba suits, then ok. But lets not pretend someone in a scuba suit is less sanitary than anyone else. They can shower before entering the pool like everyone.

[santiago sherwood]

03:22 PM on 07/25/2010

that standards, women must show off their T&a AND FLAUNT IT. yes western culture does have it's rules, French people really know their priorities. and they can be a little stupid

[overcat]

12:23 AM on 07/26/2010

Because you really need to project onto the French your view that for them this is all about "women must show off their T&a AND FLAUNT IT." Is that what you gleaned from the article? Really?

"French people really know their priorities. and they can be a little stupid" Really? All 60 million of them? Again, did you even read the article, or did you just give it a cursory glance and then substitute what you want to believe for any actual facts presented?

Who's calling who "stupid"?

[David Rozgonyi]

02:34 AM on 07/25/2010

I hope the French have a total baby and young child ban in public pools as well. You can't control your bodily functions? Then get out of my pool, because I don't want to find the mars bar you lost stuck to the bottom of my foot.

[StacyGA]

10:25 PM on 07/25/2010

THat is why "Little Swimmers" were invented. They work wonders for those little accidents.

[Occam123]

02:25 AM on 07/25/2010

Simple advice: Take your burqaed arse to the beach or to the river. The public pool is not for burqas, three piece suits or diving gear.

[Paula Ann]

02:26 PM on 07/26/2010

i learned to scuba dive in a pool - you don't go into open water as a novice. no one was mortified by our group being there.

[Christophe]

01:59 AM on 07/25/2010

Here is an interesting piece of information (to be confirmed just like any report) dated 12/2009:

A group of Muslim women in Amsterdam is demanding that men be banned from the Zuiderbad pool while they're swimming there.
http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2009/12/amsterdam-burkini-swimmers-want-men-to.html

I am still doubtful. Can anyone confirm?

If true, this looks a lot like a "generous payback" to the Dutch authorities for allowing the burqini in their public swimming pools.

[overcat]

12:55 AM on 07/26/2010

The source article for your link, in Dutch, is http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5544039/__Boerkina_s_willen_alleen_in_zwembad__.html

De Telegraaf is the largest newspaper in The Netherlands according to wikipedia.

A couple of years ago a similar situation occurred in my city, with the twist that a few employees of the city, in an effort to accommodate recent Muslim immigrant women who wouldn't use city pools because of mixed gender, wanted to make women only hours for them. The thing that most who had a problem with this objected to was that there were no corresponding male only hours, thus no equal access proposed, etc. I was mildly displeased that restrictions were being proposed for what was essentially a religious issue. People choose not to swim in public pools for a variety of reasons, and body modesty is among them. So be it. It's a personal choice and those who make it should deal with it, not everyone else.

[Musa1]

07:37 AM on 07/26/2010

If they could afford to build or buy their own pool, it wouldnt be an issue and they could just swim alone.
Or, if they rent a pool for a couple days a week, that shouldnt be an issue either.
At least they care enough to want to have rights there. If they didnt care you wouldnt hear from them at all.

[Christophe]

10:06 AM on 07/26/2010

Having "Muslims only" days at the swimming pool would be a solution...but also a sad display of the inability for Muslims to integrate into a western society.

[Addy Sul]

04:20 PM on 07/24/2010

Beyond the possible public heath issues I see very little difference between these suits and the suits and swim caps the olympic swimmers wear to give themselves that extra edge in the pool. Just more material on the arms and around the neck.

[Occam123]

08:12 PM on 07/24/2010

And that's why both of Olympic outfit and Islamofundie woman containment units are prohibited from public pools.

[Musa1]

07:38 AM on 07/26/2010

And you are the resident expert on public pool regulations?

[SirenForSanity]

01:11 AM on 07/25/2010

They were wearing full veils...not what you see in the photo above.

[EagleFliesInSky]

11:57 AM on 07/25/2010

The article states: "The women had plunged into the pool at le Port Leucate wearing full body swimsuits, including a head-covering hijab veil, but were immediately told to get out of the water."

A veil? LMAO. This is funny.

I'd NEVER swim in a public pool! And anyone who does risks all sorts of maladies. It's like swimming in someone else's toilet. icky.

[chandran007]

01:24 PM on 07/24/2010

OK here you go. That link didn't work

http://popular-article.blogspot.com/2010/02/essential-cold-water-swimming-gear.html

[chandran007]

01:23 PM on 07/24/2010

How these white people are allowed Burkhanis?

http://triathlons.thefuntimesguide.com/images/blogs/cold-water-triathlon-swimming-in-wetsuits-by-klaus.jpg

[chandran007]

01:26 PM on 07/24/2010

http://www.isnorkel.com/product-exec/product_id/6692/nm/Aqua-Sphere-women-s-winter-swim-skin-WT50-Swimming-Wetsuit-for-Open-Water-or-Pool-Swimming

[Christophe]

02:01 AM on 07/25/2010

NOT allowed in public swimming pools.

[hallowellboy]

09:35 AM on 07/24/2010

Why show a man's picture?

[Occam123]

01:20 PM on 07/24/2010

What, no mustache?

[noladebby]

02:27 AM on 07/24/2010

France means business.