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france_and_the_burkini_ban.pptxFrance and the Burkini Ban
McKayla Powers
What is it?
The ban prohibits full-body swimwear on beach resorts in France.
The ban was enacted on July 28, 2016 in Cannes, France.
14 other cities followed, with a total of 30 beach resorts enforcing the ban.
This was not a nationwide ban.
It never included the term “burkini,” leaving the ban to include any full-body clothing on beaches.
“Beachwear must be respectful of good public manners and the principle of secularism.”
What caused it?
The ban was placed shortly after the terrorist attack during the Bastille Day celebration in Nice, July 14, 2016, in which 86 people were killed.
Another cause cited is the terrorist attack on Paris on November 13, 2015, in which 147 people were killed.
Concerns
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls claims that burkinis acknowledge political Islam.
Critics say burkinis are a symbol of Islam and will cause problems after what happened in Nice.
Former President Nicholas Sarkozy claims that burkinis oppress women and that Muslims should assimilate.
This is not the first time France has encountered a problem like this.
In 2004, religious emblems were prohibited in schools and colleges.
In 2010, a ban was placed on full-face veils being worn in public.
Controversy
The main concern is that the ban is a violation of human rights and freedoms.
People believe the ban is targeting Muslims and will stigmatize them.
Armed police were seen patrolling the beaches and fining women wearing burkinis.
As the ban does not specify burkinis, it has caused a lot of confusion as to what is appropriate to wear to beaches.
Women are being stopped for simply wearing headscarves and loose clothing while just standing on the beach.
Some feel that the ban exhibits xenophobia within France.
Outcome
By the end of August, the highest administration court lifted the ban.
The court ruled it illegal and a violation of “fundamental freedoms.”
The ban was lifted in Villeneuve-Loubet, Cannes, Frejus, Roquebrune, and Nice.
Mayors still claim that they will enforce these restrictions despite the ban’s suspension.
Two beach resorts in Corsica have maintained bans on burkinis.
Questions for discussion
How does this ban affect Muslims in other countries?
What should be done about the bans now that the mayors refuse to listen to the court ruling?
Is this a movement to maintain secularism in France, or is this a case of ethnocentrism and disguised Islamophobia?
