My clothes, My choice

We live in a materialistic and judgemental world!  Wherever you are the beauty standards seem to either love or hate you; that’s just the way it is.

If you aren’t hated, you’re despised!  because many either see you as being difficult or as a product of a patriarchal world; which happens to feel that you are a ‘strange woman’ living not in the mainstream of a so-called tolerant society-that your values are alien. However, when it comes down to it you are just a woman without representation in your daily life. To illustrate this view,  a woman who wears a Burkini versus a woman who wears a bikini should both be treated as women who want to enjoy the sun, Regardless? Despite, this many view one as liberated and the other restricted but isn’t being comfortable and happy true liberation but society a can be very fickle sometimes.

Although many readers will at first will either think this illustration is not the same these two images juxtapose each other as they are wearing different clothing. Indeed, they are on the surface however it is clear that they both just want to enjoy the sun. Although, last summer’s Burkini Ban amplified this problem, whereby a minority of men decided to oppress a woman’s choice in what to wear on a French beach thus making them oppressed by men, who ironically believe in the motto of the French Republic which is "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" (Liberté, Equalité, Fraternité).

The image of French police obstructing the privacy of a woman sunbathing who happens to wear a Burkini sickens me while it undermines this motto but it is also symbol of how no matter how many times we argue for justice there will always be someone obstructing further equality for women. I believe in the fundamental rights that as a woman I should wear whatever the hell I want, although many would argue that I’m not actually making the choice society dictates what I wear. I would love to argue the case of those women wearing a Burkini in one of the most so-called tolerant countries in the world which France generally is, but when they ban the Niqab in public and they don’t teach Religious education in school they seem to be doing the exact opposite of what they are preaching.

We should all aim to practice what we preach – it’s just common decency.

Although, I’m so proud to be a Muslim teenager living in Europe where I feel generally I can wear what I want. There are some instances however where I believe that there are less empathy surrounding the rights of Muslims in the light of news stories that seem to either demean the way of life of majority of Muslims live by painting them, in a dangerous way. In the same way, I can appreciate a woman wearing whatever she wants in public whether it’s a Burkini or a Bikini because as a woman I should always promote the comfort of another woman irrespective.

All women should be proud of their unique and individual beauty.

Though, I am sick and tired of this ridiculous double standard that exists believing that you can be tolerant whilst expressing that women shouldn’t be wearing whatever it is they actually want.

How can they be such hypocrites?