(Thumbnail image from Ahiida)

“Summer’s here and so is the Burqini, it’s a cross between a Burqa and a Bikini, the idea is to allow traditional muslim women to swim in public without restraint.”

Meet the burqini, a new fashion trend that’s sweeping the world of Muslim women’s fashion…or at least some parts of it.

Despite the Burqini’s modesty the bathing attire is causing a political stir in, of all places, traditionally non-traditional France.

This week, a Muslim woman was kicked out of a public swimming pool when she tried to enter the water wearing a Burqini.

"I just want to be able to swim with my children, that’s all this is about."


This is causing a bit of a scandal, especially in light of President Sarkozy’s stance on Islamic dress, or the Hijab.    

“The burqa is not welcome in France… We cannot accept in our country women imprisoned behind bars, cut off from social life, deprived of identity.”

The first lady, former swimwear model and singer Carla Bruni has been thus far silent on the issue.

A blogger for The Frisky, weighs in on the Burqini, saying that while the author agrees with President Sarkozy’s opinion that the hijab is a political statement and not a religious custom,

"…I also feel that it is in the hands of the Muslim women to change (if they wish to) their own burqa destiny without pressure from either their religion or Sarkozy. Dictating a dress code, even if it seems to protect women from subservience, might not be very productive."


The CBC interviewed some American Muslim women who say that the Hijab is empowering.

“It just says I would like you to judge me on who I am and what I do and not on the way I look.  You know it is a fact that men and women are perceived differently.”

The Burqini’s Australian designer, though, says the Burqini is less a cultural statement and more, as the French swimmer asserted, a practical solution to the problem of being a Muslim woman who wants to swim.

“Ahiida is a company that’s targeting practicality, you know easy, adapt to the lifestyle change, you know we need to get active, you know maybe even stop war, how about that?”

So, what do you think?  Is the Burqini a practical solution to a religious challenge or is it an extension of an oppressive culture?

Entertainment News

The Burqini Ban

August 18, 2009
(2:43)
The burqini, designed for muslim women to swim in, is causing a stir in France, where the president has outlawed the Hijab.
   
YOU NEED FLASH TO VIEW THIS VIDEO
TRANSCRIPT

To leave a comment, please log in with Facebook Connect or your Newsy account. Register here to create one.
MOST RECENT|MOST POPULAR|MOST COMMENTED|HIGHEST RATED

Ellen DeGeneres Fires Back at J.C. Penney Protesters
On her talk show, DeGeneres addresses the One Million Moms protest of her as J.C.Penney's new spokesperson. Plus, see who her surprise supporter is.
(1:39)
February 9, 2012
China's Heaviest Baby Born
A 29-year-old mother in China has given birth to a big baby. Chun Chun is so big, he's broken a record.
(1:28)
February 9, 2012
Nokia to Cut 4,000 Jobs
Nokia cuts 4,000 manufacturing jobs in Europe and Mexico, relocating its smartphone assembly to Asia.
(1:32)
February 9, 2012
Victim of Atlanta Beating Comes Forward
20-year-old Brandon White has revealed himself as the victim of a three-on-one beating in Atlanta, a beating believed to be a hate crime.
(1:43)
February 9, 2012
Newsy Now: February 9 (1530 GMT)
Mortgage bailout for U.S. homeowners; Greece reaches deal ahead of EU meeting; Syrian violence continues; rumored iPad 3 image.
(1:51)
February 9, 2012
Tensions Rise Over the Falklands
Argentina launches a complaint to the UN Security Council over Britain's decision to send battleship to the Falkland Islands.
(2:40)
February 9, 2012
Jack in the Box Wants to Serve You a Bacon Shake
Jack in the Box has plans to offer a bacon milkshake, but some consumers aren't impressed.
(1:50)
February 9, 2012
Skydiver Plans Free Fall From Space
An Austrian skydiver wants to break the speed of sound by free falling from the edge of space.
(1:41)
February 9, 2012
Same-Sex Marriage Poster Couple Gets Divorce
In the wake of the latest Prop 8 ruling, the first same-sex couple married in Los Angeles is getting a divorce.
(1:54)
February 9, 2012
Path Quietly Copies Users' Address Books
Social networking app Path copies users' address books to its servers without their knowledge or approval, a developer has discovered.
(2:12)
February 9, 2012
Unlocked Lumia 800 Coming to U.S. for $900
Microsoft has announced it will be selling an unlocked version of Nokia's flagship Windows phone stateside, as part of a bundle deal.
(2:06)
February 9, 2012
Designer Karl Lagerfeld 'Little too Fat' Comment Backfires
The Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld is under fire for dissing the Grammy-award winning Adele's weight.
(2:00)
February 9, 2012
Hackers Expose Emails About Bribes Within Russian Media
Hackers uncover emails showing pro-Putin groups paying bloggers to support the prime minister and attack his opponents.
(1:59)
February 9, 2012
Scientists Drill Into a Lost World
A Russian drilling team has broken through two miles of ice to reach a prehistoric lake. Will they find new forms of life?
(2:29)
February 8, 2012

Newsy