It's getting old always reading about another swimming pool or beach banning burkinis. So far I've seen stories about such incidents in France, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Pretty soon it's going to be in my neighborhood, so I want to think through the issues in advance.
1) Obesity. Has anyone been to the beach lately? I mean, don't you just wish some of those people would cover up more, not less? Really, the vast majority of people do NOT look like the women on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Here's how my daughter describes a typical American in a bikini: "Their belly hangs over the bathing suit bottom so you can't even see it. They look naked. It's gross." When I've taken slim Europeans to the beach, they find they have to sneak a photo or two to take back to Europe and show everyone -- yep, the news stories about obese Americans are really true, see? I find myself feeling completely awkward, not sure whether to gawk, look away, or feel sorry for them that they don't have a whole lot of swimwear alternatives. I imagine that if burkinis are not only allowed but fashionable one day, there will be a HUGE market for them! Even pregnant women may find that they prefer such modesty. Or elderly people who no longer have the firm bodies of their youth. Or people with various types of bodily injuries and scars. Many women would choose to cover up while swimming if they had the option.
2) Religion. Let's face it. Muslim women are not the only ones with requirements or preferences favoring modesty. Orthodox Jewish women are supposed to have their collar bone, elbows and knees covered at all times, and also wear loose-fitting rather than tight clothes. The burkini would suit them just fine, if only the name were changed from a Muslim-sounding one to a Jewish-sounding one. Kosherkini, anyone? Ultra conservative Christians could also join the mix with a WWMD(WhatWouldMaryDo)kini. Then there could be the Hindukini, the Buddhakini, and the Unikini (for the undecided).
3) Logic. Can someone please explain what the big deal is? Are burkinis so appalling because they cover the arms and legs? So do wetsuits. Is it because some cover the hair as well? So do swim caps. Are burkinis disturbing because they are loose-fitting? So are the guys' swim trunks worn in the United States. Do we ban wetsuits and swim caps for covering too much, or loose-fitting trunks because we can't see every detail in they guy's body? I'm just not seeing what is so outrageous about a burkini. The last time I recall such scandals over swimwear was when thongs became popular, and a lot of American beaches and pools banned them. But that's because they were considered too revealing! What has become of our society when we ban something for not revealing enough?
4) Health. Okay, I admit it, the official complaint these days is that the burkinis are "unsanitary" because allegedly the women wear them around town like clothes prior to jumping in the pool, and they could spread germs that way. But if that's the case, let's ban swimming in burkinis that have been worn around town, not place a general ban on burkinis altogether. In fact, I can think of a lot more ways that burkinis can actually contribute to health, rather than harm it. People with fair skin or who are already sunburned could cover up with a burkini rather than continually slathering on a bunch of sunscreen. The sunscreen industry might lobby against this concept, but hey, it makes a lot of sense! People who are taking medications that restrict exposure to direct sunlight might also relish a burkini. And if there are mosquitoes, especially the disease-carrying kind, near the swimming locale, it would be prudent -- not prudish -- to cover up more.
5) Freedom. I think people should choose for themselves how much coverage they want in swimwear. The more options available, the better. I've known several women who refused to even go to a swimming pool or beach because they were not "bikini ready" and were too embarrassed to don a skimpy swimsuit -- the only kind readily available and approved of. Maybe the real outrage over burkinis isn't the way they are made or how functional they are, but that people perceive them as something that takes away freedom from women, as something forced on Muslim women like a burka. Yet the burkini actually promotes freedom, the freedom of women to choose their own clothing, thank you. It's the age-old problem of society trying to control what women wear. Under the guise of preventing domestic oppression countries are allowing societal oppression. There are plenty of other ways to address domestic issues than banning burkinis, which hardly differ from wetsuits. The burkini may actually be preferred by millions of women out there, not just Muslims, if only given a chance.
Splashgear burkinis.
Zehba burkini.
Billabong wetsuits.
1) Obesity. Has anyone been to the beach lately? I mean, don't you just wish some of those people would cover up more, not less? Really, the vast majority of people do NOT look like the women on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Here's how my daughter describes a typical American in a bikini: "Their belly hangs over the bathing suit bottom so you can't even see it. They look naked. It's gross." When I've taken slim Europeans to the beach, they find they have to sneak a photo or two to take back to Europe and show everyone -- yep, the news stories about obese Americans are really true, see? I find myself feeling completely awkward, not sure whether to gawk, look away, or feel sorry for them that they don't have a whole lot of swimwear alternatives. I imagine that if burkinis are not only allowed but fashionable one day, there will be a HUGE market for them! Even pregnant women may find that they prefer such modesty. Or elderly people who no longer have the firm bodies of their youth. Or people with various types of bodily injuries and scars. Many women would choose to cover up while swimming if they had the option.
2) Religion. Let's face it. Muslim women are not the only ones with requirements or preferences favoring modesty. Orthodox Jewish women are supposed to have their collar bone, elbows and knees covered at all times, and also wear loose-fitting rather than tight clothes. The burkini would suit them just fine, if only the name were changed from a Muslim-sounding one to a Jewish-sounding one. Kosherkini, anyone? Ultra conservative Christians could also join the mix with a WWMD(WhatWouldMaryDo)kini. Then there could be the Hindukini, the Buddhakini, and the Unikini (for the undecided).
3) Logic. Can someone please explain what the big deal is? Are burkinis so appalling because they cover the arms and legs? So do wetsuits. Is it because some cover the hair as well? So do swim caps. Are burkinis disturbing because they are loose-fitting? So are the guys' swim trunks worn in the United States. Do we ban wetsuits and swim caps for covering too much, or loose-fitting trunks because we can't see every detail in they guy's body? I'm just not seeing what is so outrageous about a burkini. The last time I recall such scandals over swimwear was when thongs became popular, and a lot of American beaches and pools banned them. But that's because they were considered too revealing! What has become of our society when we ban something for not revealing enough?
4) Health. Okay, I admit it, the official complaint these days is that the burkinis are "unsanitary" because allegedly the women wear them around town like clothes prior to jumping in the pool, and they could spread germs that way. But if that's the case, let's ban swimming in burkinis that have been worn around town, not place a general ban on burkinis altogether. In fact, I can think of a lot more ways that burkinis can actually contribute to health, rather than harm it. People with fair skin or who are already sunburned could cover up with a burkini rather than continually slathering on a bunch of sunscreen. The sunscreen industry might lobby against this concept, but hey, it makes a lot of sense! People who are taking medications that restrict exposure to direct sunlight might also relish a burkini. And if there are mosquitoes, especially the disease-carrying kind, near the swimming locale, it would be prudent -- not prudish -- to cover up more.
5) Freedom. I think people should choose for themselves how much coverage they want in swimwear. The more options available, the better. I've known several women who refused to even go to a swimming pool or beach because they were not "bikini ready" and were too embarrassed to don a skimpy swimsuit -- the only kind readily available and approved of. Maybe the real outrage over burkinis isn't the way they are made or how functional they are, but that people perceive them as something that takes away freedom from women, as something forced on Muslim women like a burka. Yet the burkini actually promotes freedom, the freedom of women to choose their own clothing, thank you. It's the age-old problem of society trying to control what women wear. Under the guise of preventing domestic oppression countries are allowing societal oppression. There are plenty of other ways to address domestic issues than banning burkinis, which hardly differ from wetsuits. The burkini may actually be preferred by millions of women out there, not just Muslims, if only given a chance.
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