Even with recent court rulings that deny the right to ban burkinis, many French mayors have decided to continue enforcing a policy that takes away women’s say in what they wear. Images of French police officers patrolling a beach and forcing a woman to remove her burkini have surfaced and are stirring up controversy. Those in favor of the ban believe that Islamic women should assimilate into French culture and ditch the bathing suits that cover most of their bodies. Those opposed believe that people have the right to choose what they want to wear, regardless of whether they are walking around town or relaxing by the beach. However, the real root of the issue stems from the French’s fear of foreign religious beliefs. In light of terrorist attacks around the world — particularly in France — Islamophobia has infected the views of many people globally. The unsettling thing about Islamophobia, xenophobia and other types of prejudice is that they make it acceptable to marginalize a group of people and oppress them for their personal beliefs.
Despite what people may think, the burkini ban is not just potentially oppressive towards Muslim women; it sets a precedent that condones a government telling citizens what to wear. If we lived in a world where politicians decided what is and isn’t appropriate attire, what example would that demonstrate? Will laws be set forth describing what citizens should eat or what time they should go to sleep? Will the government decide how we spend leisure time? French mayors blatantly ignoring their superiors and continuing to enforce the ban is scary. It means that as a society we are willing to defy the bureaucratic structure to discriminate and dictate to others how to live and make personal decisions.
As Americans, we often forget how good we have it here. Freedom of choice is something that runs in our veins, and the mere idea of the government encroaching the way it has in France is unthinkable. Denying women the right to cover themselves on the beach is as tyrannical as it is to force them to wear a burqa, hijab or any other garment if they don’t want to wear it. Western societies must not give into the harmful habit of stereotyping people; France’s attempt to get rid of a clothing item that has sometimes been deemed oppressive has become equally unjust. We must allow people to choose for themselves — and when someone decides to wear a burkini, it is our responsibility to support that decision.
Asha Kodan is a freshman biology major. She can be reached at ashakodan@ymail.com.
