The "Burquini"

[pegkerr]

Saw this at broadsheet and noted without comment: The Burquini, which allows a modest Muslim woman to swim comfortably while remaining fully covered from head to toe.

(All right, one little comment: broadsheet is right: that hood does sorta look like a Smurf hat).

Comments

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

I don't think I have words for my reaction beyond "Human beings are really quite peculiar sometimes".

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

I think my reaction is entirely positive. If it lets people swim and do sports who couldn't (either "weren't allowed to" or "wouldn't") before, it's a good thing.

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

In a city I used to live in, my local municipal pool had one of their free swims designated as a female-only swim, and they committed to having only female pool staff on duty that night. This was partly in response to requests from the Muslim community, but their press releases were inclusive, mentioning that there were many reasons their female clientele might choose to participate.

[rabican.livejournal.com]

I'm in the same boat. Plus, it's certainly no stranger-looking than your standard scuba gear - actually, to be honest, I think it's considerably less silly-looking than a string bikini, whose existence is dictated by an equally arbitrary set of social conventions and culture-bound notions of modesty.

[ivyblossom.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

I mean, in many western countries ruled primarily by Catholics and Protestants, it's illegal for women to not wear a shirt. I don't really see how modest dress is all that different.

[rabican.livejournal.com]

Wasn't there some scandal during the Olympics a few years back with a female athlete getting arrested for wandering around in a sports bra, or am I making things up?

Yeah, anyway. I have plenty of issues with the concept of hijab, but this burkini doesn't pile on any more restrictions and seems to be giving many traditional Muslim women options they didn't have previously, so I'm not sure why that could be construed as a bad thing.

[fairestcat]

You know, I rather like that this is out there.

I heartily approve of anything that gives a woman the opportunity to dress to her own personal comfort level and yet still be active and unrestricted in her opportunities and experiences.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

It does seem to be addressing a crying need.