Burkinis – Different Strokes In France And UK

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So Carole found herself being denied entry to a swimming pool in a suburb of Paris recently, officially for “hygiene” reasons, but she and many others believe it was because she was wearing a burkini which covered her body from neck to ankles and wrists as required by Muslim dress code for women. But while the burkini is “banned” in France, it is required in the UK on some occasions. Is it a case of different strokes for the burkini in France and UK?

Croydon Council in south London decided that its pool at Thornton Heath Leisure Centre would have special swimming sessions for Muslims at certain times on weekends. During such periods, all swimmers, including non-Muslims, must comply with certain dress codes. Male swimmers must wear swimming costumes that cover their bodies from their navels to their knees. Customes for female swimmers must cover the bodies from the neck to the ankles and writsts.

Croyon Council is not alone in this matter. Similar requirements exist at the Scunthorpe Leisure in North Lincolnshire, the North Woodside Leisure Centre in Glasgow, etc.

How do the locals take this? Ian Cawsey, the Labour MP for the North Lincolnshire constituency of Brigg and Goole, said: ”I don’t think that in a local authority pool I should have to wear a particular type of clothes for the benefit of someone else. That’s not integration or cohesion.”

Croyon resident Alex Craig, said: “I think it is preposterous that a council should be encouraging this type of segregation over municipal facilities”.

Croydon Mosque and Islamic Centre praised the rules but said it would never have asked for them.

Malcolm Wicks, Labour MP for Croydon North, said asking non-Muslims to dress up to swim was not fair: “I just hope some common sense can prevail here.”

Now, bowing to protests, Croydon Council removed the dress code requirement from its website.

Think about it. If it is not fair to ask non-Muslims to dress up like Muslims to swim, then why should the French think it fair to ask Muslims to dress up like non-Muslims to swim? Why the double standard? Wouldn’t the common sense solution be to let each person wear what he wants in the swimming pool, as long as the swimwear is decent and non-offensive to others? Why bring discord and division into the swimming pool? Why different strokes for the burkini in France and the UK?