5 things to know about French burkini bans

The French Riviera resort Cannes was the first to temporarily ban the burkini — full-body swimwear Muslim women wear at public beaches and pools — on July 28, in the wake of multiple terrorist attacks in France by Muslim extremists. Since then, 14 other French cities have imposed similar bans.

The ban drew controversy this week in response to photos showing armed police officers forcing a woman wearing leggings, a long-sleeved top and a head scarf on a beach in Nice to remove parts of her clothing.

Here are five things to know about the ban:

The burkini is technically not illegal in France

The burqa (a single piece of clothing covering the entire body from head to feet) and niqab (a full-face veil with the area around the eyes open) were prohibited in public places in France in 2011 on the grounds that they are conspicuous religious symbols. But the "burkini" — a combination of "burqa" and "bikini" — is not illegal. Cannes' temporary ban expires on Aug. 31.

On Thursday, Conseil d'État, France's highest administrative authority, was hearing a challenge to the ban by rights groups that say they amount to religious persecution and are used for political purposes. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said burkinis represent "the enslavement of women," and the ban should be handled with sensitively so as not to worsen religious tensions.

This debate isn't going away anytime soon

A decision on whether to overturn the ban is expected by the weekend, but a heated debate in France may last well into next year. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who announced this week that he intends to run again in 2017, called the burkini a "provocation" that plays into the hands of Islamic extremists.

An ardent secularist, Sarkozy told French TV on Wednesday that "we don't imprison women behind fabric." Muslims, he said, must "assimilate" and shouldn't "impose their differences on the majority." If elected, Sarkozy said, he will ban every visible religious sign in French universities.

Ban on burkinis are actually good for business  

The Lebanese-born, Australian woman who is credited with creating the burkini said sales of the Muslim-friendly swimwear have soared as a result of the bans and resulting publicity. Aheda Zanetti, 48, who runs a swimwear business in Sydney, told the BBC that online purchases of the full-bodied suits were up 200% since July. Zanetti said she first got the idea for the burkini after realizing that Muslim women in Australia were being left out of the country's fabled beach lifestyle. "I wanted my girls to grow up to have that freedom of choice," she told the broadcaster. "I don't care if they want to have a bikini. It's their choice." Zanetti said that Christians, Hindus, Jews and Mormons also bought the suits.

Germany faces similar situation with face veils 

The debate over what Muslims can wear in public is not limited to France. A similar debate has emerged in Germany, where more than 1 million migrants arrived last year. and where a spate of recent terrorist attacks have fueled public anxiety and enhanced support for far-right groups.

German authorities are weighing partial bans on face veils in schools and universities and while driving. “It doesn’t fit in with our open society. To show one’s face is crucial for communicating, for living together in our society and keeping it together," Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said last week. German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposes a blanket ban. France and Germany each has a Muslim population of about 5 million.

Clothing prompts questions about women's rights

Many people see the burkini ban as an assault on Muslims as well as an infringement on a woman's right to wear what she likes in public. There has been fierce condemnation online and in social media.

Some 30 demonstrators gathered in London to protest French bans of the burkini. The protesters held a "wear what you want" beach party outside the French Embassy, saying it was unjust to tell women what to wear.

"Imposing bans on women’s clothing is an infringement of women’s rights and leading to harassment with women being forced to remove clothing in public. The ban also represents an attack on freedom of religion and cultural expression," Stand up to Racism, a London-based activist organization said.

If you are a Muslim woman interested in sharing your thoughts on this topic, email khjelmgaard@usatoday.com or find him on Twitter (@khjelmgaard).