Elle magazine asks French-Arab women about the controversial burkini ban, and attitudes towards Muslims and Arabs in France. Here are some snippets of the compelling interview:
Sonia Ahminou, 27, French of Moroccan descent who runs her own accessories brand, ASWAD: “To me, the fundamental misconception is that a woman forbidden to wear a burkini will simply switch to a bikini. She won’t. She’ll just stop going to the beach.”
Imen Ghouali, 34, Parisian of Algerian descent who is a documentary filmmaker and author: “Things radically changed for Arabs after September 11th, suddenly, every single sign of faith became diabolical, connected to terrorism… To me modernity is proving stereotypes wrong: I love wearing a short skirt to go to work, getting people on the bus sneering at me convinced they’ve got me figured out… when I’m actually on my way to directing a prime time TV show for a national TV channel. This is true empowerment.”
Sofia Guellaty, 33, Tunisian who is a fashion consultant, specializing in the Middle-Eastern market: “Modesty, especially amongst older women, is part of many traditional cultures–and is a basic human right!… In a country than bans religious signs, it makes the veil a sign of provocation, of true anti-establishment. It is the closest thing to a punk expression, no wonder so many kids are adopting it. I am so tempted to wear a hijab to Paris’ next fashion week.”
