That burkini!

Sorry Izabella the wretched spell checker! You should see what my 'pooter wants to call some of you!!!

I tried an aquarobics class at my gym last week, there was a lovely Muslim lady there, she was wearing similar garment to that being called a burkini. If that's what she feels she needs to wear to participate and enjoy the class then good for her, it's entirely her business and no one else's.

Hhhhmmm. Its a slippery slope. The next generation is going to be brought up thinking there's something indecent about their bodies. If this proliferated then will we all start to feel self conscious about our bodies in our swimsuits and end up wearing long legged and long armed bathing costumes like we did in Victorian times. Its an affectation to cover hair and this wig nonsense is - just silly!

The wig "nonsense" is orthodox Jewish practice (like little skull caps or hats on the men) and not confined to older ladies. What I don't understand is why the women I see wear such unflattering frumpy wigs, not something sassy.
I really can't get too worked up about it, but did feel a frisson of shock when I saw a very good looking, glamorous couple walking through John Lewis recently. Perhaps in their mid-late 30's he strode on ahead, while she , beautifully dressed in embellished traditional dress, kept the requisite 10 or so paces behind him. Hmm I thought, don't like that.

DH is always so many paces in front of me too ( my little legs can't keep up!)

Look at these rather classy styles.

en.modanisa.com/sportwears--swimsuits.htm

en.modanisa.com/dresses.htm

Alea, I agree about the wigs. Perhaps they actually want them to look obvious rather than natural?

Yes, I think that is the point, the wigs must look false.

I just think that these burkinis are the thin end of a rather sinister wedge. I still think that wig business is daft!

They will be bringing back bathing machines next.

If the men were offered Burkinis too well fine, but why should women be covered up from head to toe. It is ridiculous and repressive.

When I was still teaching a year or so back one of my Asian female students pulled her shalwar kamise tightly around her and said 'I have a nice figure under all these clothes'.

I am all for modesty, but not a complete cover up.

We are all good at pushing the boundaries in varying ways even if it is merely in wearing obvious wigs to show that a rule is being observed although perhaps a little strange to make a point like that in such a way.

Many young people have such troubling and/or fast moving lives with which they struggle to cope. The youth pierce themselves to shock or even just to take your eye off themselves and focus instead on their accoutrements as well as do other things that 'everyone is doing' in order to be 'different'. I think the immodesty that is now so prevalent is another part of that and is bound to boomerang back at some point. When that happens we need to ensure that extremism of any kind is kept in check so that it doesn't result in suppression or oppression.

NanKate x posts would agree with that.

Not much different from a wet suit what's the fuss

I do not like them at all

The fuss is that some women can't make the choice for themselves. This is the UK. We don't have to cover up here.

They're not aimed at us! Well, only if you are a Muslim woman, of course.

They're a great idea if they allow Muslim women to enjoy swimming. Ok, we might think it sad that the necessity exists for some women, but it does.

Daft thread.

Good for that kid, jane10.

I think you may have missed the point here. Is it the start of a sinister trend of middle eastern attitudes developing and gradually proliferating over here? If it continues how soon might we begin to feel uncomfortably exposed if we continue to wear our perfectly respectable swimsuits and feel the need to cover up too? Rather than encouraging these women to continue to kow tow to mediaeval middle eastern attitudes we should be helping them to feel freer of the need to do this.

Daft thread??
D* post.

I am very angry about the M&S burkini which, I think, makes the oppression of women and misogyny in various religions, and especially, Islam, normal and acceptable.

Women's freedom in this country was won after a long, hard fight over centuries and women have been slighted, oppressed, tortured and have died to win the equality and liberties the rest of us enjoy.

It should be remembered that as recently as the eighteenth century women were legally the possessions of men and had no control over their own money or their own children. They could not work except, for the most part, in menial positions and, when they could work, their wages were way below those of men. Women were worn out in childbearing and many died in childbirth. Domestic violence was tacitly allowed and education was denied to sisters while brothers benefited from schooling. The list of inequalities could go on but this is a flavour of how women in the past were controlled and oppressed.

To pretend that the ingrained misogyny of many religions is but a cultural difference in a multicultural society is an abandonment of our duty to support our sisters in their subjection.

For M&S to market a garment which is an infringement of a woman's right to wear what she pleases is an attack on freedom and equality.
You only need to see the picture of one to realise that it is an ugly humiliation of women.

I wonder whether it is just ignorance and naivety which leads women to believe that there is no harm n such a garment. A working lifetime of teaching English Literature texts has given me horse's mouth evidence of the past maltreatment of women and of the need to stand up for women's right wherever they are threatened.

Sorry, should read 'in such a garment...' Edit button?

Alea

We are a mixed religion community. I personally hate to see women covered from head to toe. I just hope they have gardens where they can get their vit D. But, surely being able to swim in the sea covered, is better than not being able to swim at all?

I am with you Lilyflower!

Of course, there's always the 'kerching!' factor. M and S aren't daft. Growing market.