German public pool bans the burqini, what do you think?

I feel like I'm being a little naughty derailing the thread, so I'll answer and try to assimilate. I thoroughly enjoyed a baby's in San Francisco, clothing optional. I never thought I could relax naked in close proximity to a lot of strangers, but the relaxing sensation overruled propriety toot sweet.

We also enjoyed a couple of local clothing optional beaches. Very liberating!

I'd feel like a voyeur if I went to a place established for nudity wearing swimwear. When in Rome...

I don't know. We just do it.

The current fashion for men/boys in my area (live on the ocean) is boardshorts (board coming from surfboard). These look like they would be forbidden. Women surfers have a similar look although it is rarer.

I think we need to combat radicalism but there are other ways. We have to combat the idea. Who cares if they wear a stupid burqini or a clown nose. In France we had a debate over wearing the hijab at university. I had 1 french-algerian with one in my class and she was very forthcoming and with a good spirit. So punk yes. But no muslim. Our ancesters who run our countries need to cut the crap. They have to cut themselves. F***** morons

Certainly in France. (As said, I don't know the thousands of local rules in Germany.)

North Americans seem to have been traditionally more conservative in their everyday swimwear. Forty years ago (gak) I was a hostess at the sailing Olympics. We used to just about get into fights to be on-shift when the Swedish sailors were there. They always wore the tiniest Speedos, while the North American guys could have gone golfing in what they sailed in.


( I've got photos somewhere ... )

Infuriating spellcheck. We enjoyed the Russian banya...

I will add that I've been to public pools as long ago as the 60s, and there were rules forbidding getting in wearing clothes or even cover-ups. I think something about the detergents or body fluids that may be in clothing. South Georgia before any of us had heard of Islam or terrorism.

I think I heard somewhere that women in the U.S are no longer required to wear swim caps in the pool. The whole thing is sounding more like a matter of taste than anything else, and that means the tastes of the rule making people.

Haven't read each and every post, skimmed past some, I think I skipped a page.

But in essence I think it is not right to prohibit this suit.

It really doesn't help much to have a special day were they can either wear what they want, or swim with other women, so "it doesn't matter"

What about the other 6 days of the week? What if you want to go every day?

I go to an outdoor pool, and a few people, and especially some kids, wear swim shirts because of the sun. For whatever reason, don't want to wear sunscreen, are allergic to it, have it on in addition to, they feel they want need the long sleeve shirt as well.

To just assume the women wearing the burquini are being oppressed and wearing it against their will isn't fair. Nor is it fair to assume they would be any more comfortable wearing less around other women. In one of Lashes last posts she said she would feel out of place wearing a suit in a nude setting, and "when in Rome". But Lash, that's how you feel. Others might say they'd feel more comfortable wearing something.
Off topic a little, but I always thought I wouldn't mind spending some time at a nudist resort, but I would have to wear a bra thing of some type. It's hard to say why, but I just don't physically like having my breasts exposed. I'm not oppressed, just don't like the feeling. I would hate to think people would be snickering at my clothing choice in a nude environment, as I thought a big part of it was allowing the person freedom. Or would I not be "naked enough" for them?
It's kinda what it sounds like here. "You're not naked enough for us."

I would have to go back and reread everything, but I'm too lazy. Would someone mind telling me if there is some specific hygeine or safety reason or something, or if the powers that be just thinks it "looks funny".

Did I comment on American Muslim immigrants? I must have missed it.

Amazing! Germans are the only people in the entire world who don't use an old law to enforce a new desire.

If I understood you correctly, Finn, you were blaming the immigrants for the big difference between US and Europe immigrant culture.

I am suggesting that maybe instead of blaming the immigrants, maybe you should blame Europe, particularly those cultures who are having trouble adjusting to the new reality of diverse, multicultural, democracies.

The US is doing a much better job than Europe is.

I thought it was because the pool proprietors didn't want errant hair balls grossing out patrons or clogging ducts.

If I haven't learned anything else here, I definitely know my experience isn't universal.

As I've written a couple of times, this is a municipally regulation by the town as owner. (Changed last time in 2005)

But indeed, the new desire has been enforced in many other municipalities: they changed the wording of similar regulations to make it clear that e.g. burqinis are allowed. Others hadn't to do it at all.

A couple of local/regional newspapers asked municipalities how they handle burquinis in their pools: no problems were reported.
Burquinis are sold explicitly as swimwear [for around 25 Euros], some mentioned as reason.
Nealry all noted that the sometimes more than decades old pool regulations required to be looked at again.

There is plenty of blame to be shared by the left-wing European governments and the European Muslim immigrants.

Bavaria has the most conservative government and parliament of all German states
The local council in the town of Neutraubling (that's the one with the pool this thread is about) has 20 councillors from conservative and/or rightish parties and four from the Social Democrats.

Not surprised.

Are you suggesting that the German national government that has welcomed Muslim immigration and promoted multi-cultural "tolerance" is right-wing?

The left-wing European governments have created the problem. Right-wing governments (local or national) will address it, but probably not in a particularly "fair" way.