Burqinis Stir Troubled Waters in Public Swimming Pools

Summer is winding down in Europe, but controversies over "Islamic" swim gear and gender segregation in public pools are heating up, giving form to familiar questions about how to accommodate religious needs without restricting the rights of non-believers.

In France, a woman has been barred from wearing her burqini — a loose-fitting wetsuit that covers all but the face, hands, and feet — because municipal pool regulations "forbid swimming while clothed," according to an official. "These clothes are used in public," he argued, "so they can contain molecules, viruses, et cetera, which will go in the water and could be transmitted to other bathers."

.... The Telegraph notes an opposite trend in the UK, where "swimming pools are imposing Muslim dress codes" and gender segregation [Islamist Watch] Read more

Northern Italian mayor bans burkini Women wearing Islamic swimsuit will be fined A mayor of a northern Italian town decided on Wednesday to slap a hefty fine on women seen wearing the Islamic head-to-toe swimsuit or 'burkini' in local pools. Gianluca Buonanno, the mayor of Varallo Sesia in the northwestern region of Piedmont, said the sight of ''a masked woman could cause dismay, especially among children'' enjoying a day at the pool. [ANSA] Read more