In New Zealand, there is a movement by South Island Muslims to open special swimming pool facilities for women only that would allow them to swim and engage in aquatic exercise without compromising their religious beliefs. They are citing the lack of specialized facilities with weight gain and becoming medically unfit.
The creation of the new Burqini will offer Muslim women more options, but the idea of a special pool is backed by the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand. Privacy and modesty are extremely important to the followers of Islam and because modesty forbids Muslim women from appearing in public with everything but their hands, feet and face covered.
Private Swimming Pool Benefits
A private swimming pool that allows women to swim, perform aquatic exercise and more away from prying eyes is one way that Muslim women can reap the benefits of water based exercise and more. It would also allow them to socialize in a contained environment without fear of being immodest in front of men, especially those who are strangers.
The Burqini may offer Muslim women more options for swimming in public, but private swimming pools would also offer these women a freedom of opportunity that doesn’t exist for them currently. According to some local papers in New Zealand, the majority of their readers were against the idea of private swimming pools for Muslim women.
What Are Their Objections?
Swimming pools are paid for out of taxes in local communities and should cater to the needs of all Kiwis and not just for those of individual faiths. Yet, are not these Muslim women Kiwis? Their needs are not being met. Should a Muslim be forced to compromise their personal beliefs in an effort to blend in with the rest of the population? Unfortunately, a negative backlash seems to have awakened at the idea of creating a segregated pool area.
Yet, here in the United States, I know of no know private swimming pool facilities offered for women or Muslim women only. While it’s true that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one, we do have women’s only fitness clubs because whether modesty or religious values are at question, many women feel more comfortable performing exercise away from the prying eyes of men and others.
So is this really so much of an extreme step forward? It’s entirely possible for community centers dedicated to the Muslim community to open a private pool for women of Islam. A private community center may charge fees, but if it caters to the specific and individual needs of that community and allows their women to get the exercise they need? I’m all for it.
Respectfully, I know there are people out there who think this is apartheid and that it is wrong to segregate Muslim women — but it’s important to remember that apartheid and color segregation was enforced by one race upon another in an effort to keep that race subservient. Respecting another culture’s or individuals religious beliefs is about NOT enforcing our beliefs and needs upon them. In this way, despite the surface similarities it is completely different from apartheid.
If a woman, Muslim or not, would be more comfortable exercising in front of others or swimming in front of others – finding alternatives should be encouraged and not dismissed out of hand. I wish these women good luck and I hope that the Burqini continues to widen their options and much, much more.
Would you support the building of private facilities for Muslim women so they can enjoy aquatic activities and more?
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