When I first found out about the burkini ban being enforced in France, I was disgusted, but sadly, not shocked. I take French in high school and you really can't learn the language without studying the culture of the country of France itself. Muslims are a minority that are heavily discriminated against, forced to live in poor slums, woman are not allowed to wear niqab veils, and some schools even forbid students from wearing hijabs. As a Muslim living in America, I have freedoms that a Muslim in France could only hope for, including wearing a burkini without being heavily ostracized for it. When I go to the beach or get invited to a pool party, I can't wear what everyone else wears, so it ends with me making some excuse as to why I am unable to go or I just avoid the beach all together. Why? There is a deep-rooted fear I have that I am just going to make everyone uncomfortable and that I should just save myself the embarrassment. I heavily applaud any and all women who are comfortable with wearing what they want at the beach, because there are so many people who will judge your body or clothes for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
As of late, the burkini ban has become an even more heavily debated topic, especially after the overturn of the ban in Nice, France just this Thursday. Judges from Nice's administrative tribunal court have ruled that the ban is unconstitutional and discriminatory. The original justification for the ban was that the people of Nice and France as a whole are still shocked and traumatized by the terrorist attack on Bastille Day. However, the Nice judges have ruled that the basis of emotion is not enough to ban the swimwear. Many other towns are still imposing the ban, defying a ruling by France's highest administrative court that rejects the original ban.
A beach is a place where people can relax and get away from the daily stresses of life, not a place where people get hassled for what they wear or what their religion is. Hasn't society gone far enough in trying to police what women can and can't wear? "Don't be a prude, but don't show too much skin either" is the only message that is conveyed to us, but let's be real- a woman will be blamed for wanting to be conservative and wearing the burkini because she is choosing what she wants to do with her body and due to the connection of the swimsuit to Islam.
We could spend all day debating the ethics of a piece of swimwear, but what we need to focus on is this fact of life: All religions have extremists, the word "Muslim" should not lead you to make an automatic association with terrorists. There are radical Christians, and moderate Christians are embarrassed that they claim to be the same faith as them. The same goes for moderate Muslims who are embarrassed of radical Muslims that try to tarnish the name of Islam. We are all human and drawing up more lines and distinctions between each other won't solve anything.
