As you may have seen, a French pool has now taken the burqa ban one step further, specifically banning the burqini, or a full-body swimwear piece.
They cite hygiene as their primary concern and motivation, claiming that baggy clothing will harbor more germs (which I don't now much about). Other sentiments -- and, in my opinion, the truer sentiments of this all -- are revealed quite poignantly by a quote from the mayor of the town where the pool was banned:
"We are going back in civilization," he said by telephone. Women have fought for decades for equal rights with men, he said. "Now we are putting them back in burqas and veils."
And I want to ask, "Right, so you're going to liberate them by a) banning their choice of clothing/how they present their bodies culturally segregating them??
So if you want to liberate someone, here's how:
1. Limit what they can wear on their body
2. Limit what they can do with their body
3. Limit where they can physically be present.
4. Tell them that they aren't capable of making decisions about what's good for them, their bodies, and their happiness; enforce legal sanctions banning their agency.
Keep it up, France.
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This incident makes me furious. Being forced to put one's body on display (or not swim at all) is liberation? And the 'hygiene' argument is too ridiculous for words. Try 'patriarchal scopophilia'.
It reminds me of the oppressive regulations regarding permissible clothing for women in many Olympic sports. The motive -- to increase tv viewership and ad revenues by putting women's bodies on display -- is blatant, but there's always some 'legitimate' reason advanced by the organizers. It results in the exclusion of so many potential athletes of Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Christian faith from ever taking up the activities and/or striving for international competition.
Comment on the hygiene part.
No, it is not specious. Icannot wear baggy shorts because they supposedly harbour more germs and dirt. Maybe so. I have to abide by that rule.
Women have to as well. So long as all baggy clothes are banned, it cannot be said that the rule is aimed at Muslim women.
AS a matter of fact, the new, body-hugging, sports swimsuits are also banned in public pools, for the same reason.
In France they frequently ban loose men's swimsuits.
"Speedo" style swim trunks are the only acceptable male swimwear in many French pools.
Not to mention, if we are indeed speaking of public pools here, clothes based on religious values are in violation of French laicite.