Muslim woman barred from Paris pool for `burquini'

[tj2001]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090812/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_burquini_banned

Muslim woman barred from Paris pool for `burquini'
By MARIA DANILOVA, Associated Press Writer

PARIS – A Muslim woman who tried to go swimming in a head-to-toe "burquini" has been banned from her local pool in the latest tussle between religious practices and secular authority in France.

Officials on Wednesday insisted they banned the woman's use of the Islam-friendly swimsuit because of France's unusually strict hygiene standards in pools — not because of official hostility to wearing overtly Muslim garb.

Under the policy, swimmers are prevented from wearing any street-compatible or baggy clothing, such as Bermuda shorts, in favor of figure-hugging suits.

The woman, a 35-year-old convert to Islam identified only as Carole, complained of religious discrimination after trying to go swimming in her burquini in the Paris suburb of Emerainville. She was quoted as telling the daily Le Parisien newspaper that she had bought the burquini after deciding "it would allow me the pleasure of bathing without showing too much of myself, as Islam recommends."

[Taverner]

1. In schools, I can agree

IN a public pool, this is just discrimination

[brendan120678]

2. Seems like it would be a safety hazard as well. (nt)

[scheming daemons]

3. Swimming pools aren't for "bathing", sweetie

That statement bothers me.

You're not going swimming to wash yourself.

[Lance_Boyle]

5. yet we most often do it in a "bathing suit"

my guess is translational difficulties are at play, and the burqa-woman did not tromp down to the pool with her soap-on-a-rope and rubber ducky.

[Ilsa]

7. I don't think "bathing" always means cleansing. If I go sunbathing, I'm not cleaning anything. nt

[Ilsa]

4. Wow. They require hair caps and showering before entering

the public pool. I suspect their pools might be cleaner and require less chemicals than our local pool.

[PassingFair]

6. My husband and my cousin had to buy SPEEDO's to get into a public pool in France.

It remains one of my funniest memories, as they
walked into town SEPARATELY, and both showed up
IN THE SAME SPEEDO when they walked into the pool area.

No, TRUNKS were NOT allowed.

If she wants the "pleasure of bathing" she needs
to swim in a river or a lake.

[dustbunnie]

8. Is it France that foisted the horrible, man-in-too-tiny-speedo fashion on the world?

It appears so, from the article. :P They do have very strict rules for pool attire, but don't think it's a bad idea.

[enlightenment]

9. Actually, they have very strict rules in France for

public 'bathing' pools (which is what swimming pools are often called outside the US).

Men can't wear trunks - they have to wear speedo type garments.
Everyone wears caps - even bald guys (silly, that one).

The idea of hygiene isn't about the person, it's about the water. Their argument is that garments that could be worn outside a bathing pool (like men's trunks that look like shorts) can pick up dirt, etc, whilst wearing them as clothing. Then they bring that dirt into the pool.

I don't necessarily agree with their logic, but this isn't a question of religious discrimination or gender discrimination or anything like that.

[uppityperson]

10. I was questioned about my tankini with skirt last yr, but they let me in

there were others with the same thing, but they made sure it was actually a swim suit, not "street wear". Men all wear speedos, Mr UP wasn't happy about that, but, when in France...

It may not look particularly attractive on many, but it is the rule for all.

[Cleita]

11. Well, in Rome. Actually Islam doesn't have much to say about what women

should wear anymore than the Christian Bible does. It's really local customs that dictate that in the name of religion. Muslim women are really going to have to tell their men to go to Hell about what they wear to change this just like Catholic women told the Bishops to drop dead about wearing hats and pantsuits to Church.

[NashVegas]

12. Here's the Burquini Suit

Looks a little too loose to be safe. If it was more like a rash guard, I'd agree with her.