by Elizabeth Dandrow Mosolovich
The recent controversy over burkinis, full-body bathing suits that adhere to Islamic modesty standards but that are also used by many non-Muslims for various reasons, garnered international attention when French coastal cities put laws into place banning the outfit. The French cities insisted the bans follow France's secularism laws, which are inscribed in the national constitution. Others suspected it had more to do with fears of terrorism. But the furor over the burkinis is much deeper than either of those concerns. The ban represents a tangible product of deeper insecurities founded in the intersection of French national identity, immigration, and assimilation.
France has very strict laws regarding secularism, and a system of separation of church and state that is different from the one practiced in the United States; in France, all public sector workers, such as teachers, are forbidden from wearing religious symbols or clothing, including Christian crosses, Sikh Turbans, and so on. In theory, this seems fair and equal. In practice, however, French culture is much more accepting of people wearing crosses than headscarves (due to its predominantly Christian past); when a Muslim woman tried attending her eight-year-old son's school trip as a chaperone, she was denied because she was wearing a headscarf. Another mother, however, who was wearing a cross, face no trouble. (Chrisafis). Additionally, the vaguely-worded 2010 ban on clothing that covered the face centered on the burqa, garment that includes a full-face veil.
Today, France is "more ethnically and religiously diverse" than when statesmen wrote secularism into the French constitution. However, even moderation interpretations of these laws still cater to a "homogeneously Christian country" (Golshan). In addition, French culture views the human body more loosely than other cultures do, a practice easily viewed on their beaches. The burkini, then, an outward show of Islamic modesty, is seen as an attack on these values, despite the fact that the burkini actually allows religious Muslim women to participate in Western culture and enjoy some time at the beach, a quintessential French leisure activity. Many Muslim women in conservative Islamic countries might refrain from such entertainment, as men lounging on the beaches could see women's bodies, her curves outlined by the wet burkini (Rubin).
The creator of the burkini, Lebanese-Australian designer Aheda Zanetti, says that she created the burkini to prevent "'Muslim children from missing out on swimming lessons and sports activities'" (Golshan). Ms. Zanetti also claims that her burkini is very popular with non-Muslims, such as skin cancer survivors and others wishing to protect their skin from the sun ("Burkini Ban in France Sparks Worldwide Sales"). The burkini is not solely a religious garment.
The merging of cultures can be a trying process, especially when the tenets seem antithesis to each other. In this age of globalization, however, it is important to treat all people with respect, especially when there is a national identity in common. The uproar over burkinis is another sign that Islamic culture is viewed as strange and wrong by the West, and something to be suppressed. But cultures must change in order to survive, and what comes from a mixing of different cultures may bring about something better in the long run.
Elizabeth Dandrow Mosolovich is a freshman at Rowan University, studying Writing Arts, & International Studies.
"Burkini Ban in France Sparks Worldwide Sales, Incl among Non-Muslims, Designer Says." RT International. RT, 23 Aug. 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
Chrisafis, Angelique. "France's Headscarf War: 'It's an Attack on Freedom'" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 22 July 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.
Golshan, Tara. "France's Debate over the Burkini Ban, Explained." Vox. Vox Media, 26 Aug. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.
Rubin, Alissa J. "Fighting for the ‘Soul of France,’ More Towns Ban a Bathing Suit: The Burkini." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Aug. 2016. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.
