Has the Burkini-Bikini Fight Come to an End?

We bet, there hasn’t been a single summer season passing without the infamous burkini-bikini debate, especially in North Coast. For some years now, we all heard stories of awful incidents where women were shamed for wearing burkinis and even forced out of the pool or not allowed in some places because, according to some certain segment of our society, ‘Burkinis are backward and not hygienic’.

 

A couple of months ago, a well-known social media influencer launched her own brand of modest, trendy swimwear to help every woman dress comfortably yet aesthetically on the beach and her line of swimwear has become the talk of the fashion scene. 

 

Unlike every summer season, we haven’t heard of a single incident around burkinis nor have we come across one of those circulated sad stories where women face a hard time on certain beaches and pools because of what they choose to wear. This time, and after this brand came out, the debate seems to have subdued, only when a famous influencer stepped in. This abrupt shift in perception draws attention to a very important fact,  and that is, it is part of human psychology that some certain ideas or concepts become more acceptable, and even hailed for, only when promoted by celebrities or public figures, hence our behavior in following trends.

 

But, did we really have to wait for a public figure to promote burkinis or modest swimwear for us to accept it? The answer to this question is rather tricky since it will leave us facing an ugly truth; we live in a classist society.

 

Let’s imagine for a moment, what if it weren’t for a public figure, who is a non-hijabi, yet had the concerns of hijabis in mind? Who sets the rules or the standards for what is trendy or rather welcomed? Why weren’t we able to change the narrative earlier helping women feel safe and confident in their very own and personal choice of clothes no matter how much or little they chose to cover? And when will our society put an end to classism?

 

Maybe, yes, this new brand has helped tone down the harsh criticism against burkini, but that has shed the light on a sad and ugly truth which is we are a classist society, not generally of course, but that doesn’t deny the fact that some people do judge.