France rules against burkini swimwear for religious reasons

France's top administrative court ruled against allowing body- covering swimwear in public pools for religious reasons.

In France, the burkini draws intense political debate because it is only worn by a small percentage of the population.

The ruling by the Council of State was hailed as a victory for secularism by the interior minister. Some Muslim women said it was unfair to target their faith and their bodies.

After campaigning by local activists, the city of Grenoble voted last month to allow women to wear burkinis in public pools. Women will be allowed to swim topless as part of a relaxation of swimwear rules.

The burkini decision was blocked by the top government official for the region.

The Council of State said in a statement that the vote was done to satisfy a religious demand and hurt the neutrality of public services.

The ruling was the first under a law championed by the president that was meant to protect public values from religious extremists.

In public pools in France, caps are required and baggy swim trunks are not allowed. Some sun- protection suits are not allowed in pools.

burkinis can be used in public pools. The decision to loosen swimwear rules in Rennes was not based on religion.

Women should be allowed to wear what they want and express their religious conviction in pools like in the street according to the mayor. The swimwear represents oppression of women and a potential gateway to Islamic radicalism was argued by opponents of the burkini.

Six years ago, the Council of State struck down a local burkini ban due to shock and anger after some Muslim women were ordered to remove body-concealing garments.

The ruling will make it harder for women to cover their heads and bodies in public.

She said that Muslim women are not like other women. The French government looks at Muslim women through a single lens. She blamed a leftover colonial-era fixation with the body of Muslim women.

There was no threat to the decision about swimming topless.

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