Share

Group to push for removal of all burkini bans

A burkini is a full-length swimsuit worn mostly by Muslim women, according to CNN.

Advertisement

He then said “it’s about respecting the dignity of people; it’s about respecting the dignity of women”.

Recently in France, the “burkini” has come under intense scrutiny.

Why were they banned?

After a militant Islamist ploughed a lorry into families on the seafront at Nice on 14 July, killing 86 people, the city’s authorities said a ban was “a necessity”.

Villeneuve-Loubet’s mayor, Lionnel Luca, responding to the ruling, said: “We need to decide if we want a smiley, friendly version of sharia law on our beaches or if we want the rules of the [French] Republic to be implemented”. “Wearing an outfit that fully covers the body to go to a beach does not correspond to our vision of living together, particularly with regard to the equality of men and women”. My sis enjoying Jamaica.

Aheda Zanetti, the woman credited with inventing the burkini, says the French ban has raised the profile of the garment and prompted a spike in demand.

Judges said officials can only ban the swimwear if it constitutes a “proven risk” to the public. #WearWhatYouWant IN SAUDI ARABIA & IRAN TOO.

The first article of the French constitution enshrines this principle, and France has repeatedly cited this secularist agenda when targeting Muslim practices that are seen to push religion too far into public life.

Why was there such a backlash?

These images and word of the harsh enforcement of the ban in some 30 French towns has sparked protest from religious and secular communities alike, who argue that these rules limit women’s freedom and fuel Islamophobia.

Global opposition to the ban galvanized recently as photos purporting to show a woman forced to strip out of her burkini made headlines and were widely shared on social media.

The court has found there is no evidence of a threat, and has ruled in favour of the League of Human Rights, which argued the ban contravened civil liberties.

While the ruling focuses on one town, it is expected to set legal precedent for all towns that have banned them.

Is it all a political move? Security and immigration are now central to the presidential election campaign and Mr. Sarkozy is tapping into the worries of voters on the right with a hardline platform of law and order.

Mr Sarkozy, who is seeking re-election, said on Thursday he would support a nationwide burkini ban.

Le Pen, who is running for president in the 2017 race, wrote in a statement that: “The burkini would obviously be part of it”.

Where does the rest of the world stand?

Burkini-style wear has generated debate in Morocco, with its large tourism industry.

Advertisement

However, the ban - like France’s previous bans on religious clothing in public schools colloquially called the “headscarf ban” - this policy specifically targeted Muslim women. “Liberty? You telling us what to wear, you telling us what not to do will drive women back into their homes – what do you want us to do then?”, she said.

Sama Wareh walks along a California beach in swimwear designed for Muslim women