The uproar over the ban on a burkini in France intensified on Tuesday after photos of French policemen forcing a woman to take it off went viral.
The Australian woman credited with creating the burkini, on Wednesday however, said that the ban has had an unprecedented effect – it has boosted sales.
‘It Symbolises Freedom, Not Oppression’
48-year-old Aheda Zanetti, the woman who possesses a trademark on the name burkini and burqini, “said online sales were up by 200%,” reported BBC. A burkini is swimwear which combines the ‘burqa’ with a ‘bikini’, leaving only the face, hands and feet visible.
According to Zanetti, the burkini symbolises freedom and healthy living, not oppression or subjugation.
“I’m an Aussie chick, I’ve been here all my life. I know what hijab means. I know what veil means. I know what Islam means. And I know who I am,” she told BBC.
Zanetti further said that the intention behind the piece of clothing was to allow Muslim women to “participate in the Australian beach lifestyle.”
I wanted my girls to grow up to have that freedom of choice.Aheda Zanetti to BBC
The design of the burkini is also partially inspired by news reports of French authorities banning the hijab in schools as it defies laws on secularism.
What the Ban Entails
- According to the mayor of Cannes’ ruling “access to beaches and for swimming is banned to any person wearing improper clothes that are not respectful of good morals and secularism.”
- “Beachwear which ostentatiously displays religious affiliation, when France and places of worship are currently the target of terrorist attacks, is liable to create risks of disrupting public order.”
- The ban is in place till 31 August 2016, breaching which is punishable with a fine of €38 (£33).
Twitter Outrage
The burkini ban has already created a public outrage after Muslim women refused to accept that burkini is regressive, as believed by the authorities.
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