Burkinis

[TaterTots]

We've all seen the fuss about them, but last night I saw my first one in 'real life', which got me thinking. Also today two of my friends were arguing about them on FB - one against any ban, the other claiming they are a symbol of oppression.

My view has pretty much always been that it's just a different type of swimsuit; no different to some women wearing bikinis and others wearing one-pieces. I'd always thought the bans in places like Cannes were all about the culture/assimilation issue; it hadn't really crossed my mind that the 'modesty' might be being forced on women.

What do you think?

""it hadn't really crossed my mind that the 'modesty' might be being forced on women.""

It doesn't matter if it's forced or 'chosen', the whole concept behind Women needing to be 'modest', is the issue.

I disagree. If a woman prefers to cover up, that's her choice. If she can't go swimming unless she does because her husband won't 'let' her, that's oppression.

I think the majority of those objecting don't like the "otherness"

I know there are some who object to religion influencing women to be "modest"

Personally I don't agree with the ban, I think people should be able to wear what they want as long as no one is forced to wear anything

We spent a few days in a water park in Dubai recently, and they were everywhere.

Women floating down the water park 'river' on rubber rings, in burkinis. They looked faintly ridiculous.

Why not wear a wet suit and a swimming cap - these things have skirt type things and a hood.

And it's not as if you can't tell the shape of the body within - you just can't see any skin.

Of course, men's skin was on full display in western style swimming costumes. 🙄

There was a meme that came up on my FB about this, something along the lines of 'I'd probably get arrested if I wore a bikini in a Saudi Arabian pool' ... you get this gist. I do think it should be a choice and I see the ban as rather heavy handed.

I think if you can go to the beach wearing pedal pushers, a floaty shirt and a sun hat but not a burkini the problem is discrimination

and if some one told be I had to wear a swimsuit if I was having an off day and wanted to hide my wobbly bits I would tell them where to shove it!

The sad thing is that the people at the beach are potentially integrating more (apart from what they and Nigella wear) than everyone else who stays in their own neighborhoods mixing with only people of similar backgrounds

Her body, her choice. I'm not going to force a white, British, Christian woman wearing a wetsuit and a scuba mask or fully dressed on the beach to get undressed just for me, so I fail to see why I would force anyone on the basis of their colour, nationality or faith.

I'm a white non-Muslim. If I wasn't horrendously overweight I wanted to go swimming I'd wear one.
I burn like buggery, so need to stay covered up.
Wetsuits are not a suitable alternative indoors or where it's warmer as they are too think.

There's an exhausting thread in In The News about this.

A wet suit made from swimming costume material would do the job.

Either way - my problem with them is the expectation on women only, to wear them.

We were in a local beach yesterday and there were a family wearing them. The men all bare chested. Women dressed head to toe- faces covered the lot. It was ridiculous. I felt if I had taken my stuff off and worn a swim suit I would have had them staring at me.

I don't find it acceptable to wear it here. Or the burka. I felt mildly uncomfortable and kept my top and shorts on. Why should I have to feel like that? It's not the culture or religion of this country and they choose t live here.

Here you go.

Why can I not walk down the road without my chest covered and DH can? Sexist dress codes. They are everywhere.

cubtrouble you made yourself feel uncomfortable no one else did

I think whether the ban is right or wrong, if I was on a beach and I saw signs banning something, I would not go and do whatever was banned. If I did so what was banned, I would expect a fine.

I am in two minds about it really. I hate the fact that women who are expected to cover up are married to men who don't have to. Equally, I don't particularly like bikinis as they aren't conducive to swimming and they are extremely exposing both in terms of sun damage and your entire body being on display minus a few square inches which personally I find very uncomfortable.

I think that everyone should wear whatever they choose to wear.
How can you ban it? A non-Muslim woman may choose to completley cover up on the beach but that's ok because she's not Muslim? It's ridiculous.

Everyone should mind their own bloody business.

I don't think they should be banned. Some of them look rather nice - and way more flattering than a swimsuit. I never strip off on the beach; the least I would wear is shorts and a T-shirt. I don't feel comfortable being almost naked in public.

I looked at some ads for bhurkinis the other day and they reminded me of an old photo I have of my great grandmother on the beach with her sisters, daughter and niece. All their swimsuits are of the "modest" type, covering most of the body.

If you think they are a sign of opression, what do you think banning them will do? Will it release the women from the need to be covered or will they simply not be able to go to the beach?

I made my swimsuit, it is a tankini and I made a shortish skirt out of the same material so if I want to go and get picnic stuff on the way to the beach I look like I'm wearing more of a dress. If I'm not going in the water (e.g. walking with a friend or reading a book) I often don't bother taking the skirt off. I could easily swim in it though if I wanted. I also often wear a solid coloured matching rash guard over the top to keep the sun off me to try and prevent burns and skin cancer (I live in California and my skin sees much more sun than the average Brit and I've had skin cancer). If I added leggings to my outfit to keep the sun off my legs I'd have basically the body equivalent of a burkini. Not sure how any of this outfit is ridiculous and if someone thought it was I'd give two figs and if Cannes had a problem with it I'd show them my large scar that suncream didn't prevent and ask them what they thought i should wear instead.

I'm not sure which is best...string bikinis or burkinis. Isn't there a middle ground somewhere here, flattering and modest without being a tent?

fromthebreach A tankini.

I'm currently in a hotel in Dubai with a water park attached to it. There is a huge range of swim wear on display and I don't think anyone gives two hoots about what anyone else is wearing. Which is exactly as it should be.

Soup dragon, I agree. There will be a bunch of women who decide not to go to the beach or if they do to just sit and not participate.

Wear what the heck you want and what you're comfortable in. If we let women wear niqabs etc on the street, why can't they wear the equivalent to swim in???? If it makes you feel uncomfortable to see it, it's your problem.

I don't understand how feminism hasn't come far enough that we don't feel the need to push our choices on women either way - modesty or with lots of skin showing.

What I want to know is the people arguing for the ban - What harm are they personally doing to you by wearing them? Even if you ban them and they are being forced to wear them you aren't going to change anything just stop them from visiting the beach and if it's their choice then you are doing exactly what you stand against by forcing someone else to bend to your will because you feel you know what is right personally for another person.