Posted on Jun 19, 2022
A French city approved burkinis in its pools. Then the backlash came
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https://www.npr.org/2022/06/19/ [login to see] /france-burkini-swimsuit-islamic-women
Grenoble Mayor Éric Piolle was the first environmentalist to lead a major French city, and this year his Alpine town has been named a European green capital. By the end of the year Grenoble will meet all its electricity needs with renewable energy.
But no one's talking about that, he says. Rather, Piolle is being assailed for allowing the burkini in his town's public pools.
"It touched some very intense emotions for people," he says during an interview in his office.
Piolle grew up Roman Catholic and he says 30 years ago, there were more signs of Catholicism in public. He says the religion that's more visible today in France is Islam, and that makes some people nervous.
Grenoble Mayor Éric Piolle was the first environmentalist to lead a major French city, and this year his Alpine town has been named a European green capital. By the end of the year Grenoble will meet all its electricity needs with renewable energy.
But no one's talking about that, he says. Rather, Piolle is being assailed for allowing the burkini in his town's public pools.
"It touched some very intense emotions for people," he says during an interview in his office.
Piolle grew up Roman Catholic and he says 30 years ago, there were more signs of Catholicism in public. He says the religion that's more visible today in France is Islam, and that makes some people nervous.
A French city approved burkinis in its pools. Then the backlash came
Posted from npr.org
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Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Activists are inspired by the U.S. civil rights movement
There's a large poster in the group's offices with a history of civil disobedience across the world. Ben Azib says the group was very inspired by the 1960s U.S. civil rights movement — lunch counter sit-ins and other nonviolent acts of civil disobedience by individuals like Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her bus seat to a white man.
"It's interesting to see how one single woman — Rosa Parks — can change everything. You know the narrative around black women, the narrative about segregation, etc. It was very inspiring for us," he says.
Ben Azib says they watched videos and studied speeches. "We want to change the way Muslim women are viewed in France," he says.
The court's decision on whether to allow the burkini in Grenoble's pools is expected any day. Ben Azib says if they don't win, they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
"We need to follow through," he says, "because we spent too much time and energy, and also we have so many people counting on us to keep up the fight."
..."Activists are inspired by the U.S. civil rights movement
There's a large poster in the group's offices with a history of civil disobedience across the world. Ben Azib says the group was very inspired by the 1960s U.S. civil rights movement — lunch counter sit-ins and other nonviolent acts of civil disobedience by individuals like Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her bus seat to a white man.
"It's interesting to see how one single woman — Rosa Parks — can change everything. You know the narrative around black women, the narrative about segregation, etc. It was very inspiring for us," he says.
Ben Azib says they watched videos and studied speeches. "We want to change the way Muslim women are viewed in France," he says.
The court's decision on whether to allow the burkini in Grenoble's pools is expected any day. Ben Azib says if they don't win, they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
"We need to follow through," he says, "because we spent too much time and energy, and also we have so many people counting on us to keep up the fight."
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