These two images show the ridiculous double standards women face when it comes to swimwear
Photos of armed French police forcing a woman to remove her burkini on a beach in Nice, France cause a social media uproar on Tuesday.
Just let this sink in. Men with guns forcing a women to undress, with the weight of the law behind them. pic.twitter.com/4BI16Bbss9
— Abdul-Azim আজিম (@AbdulAzim) August 23, 2016
The images show four officers confronting a woman who was at Promenade des Anglais, the location of a deadly jihadist attack in July that left 80 dead. The woman was seen complying with the police, removing a blue long-sleeved top, baring her arms.
This comes after a number of French towns ironically banned burkinis as they are a “symbol of oppression.” Those who flout the rules may be punished with a fine.
The images quickly went viral with many taking to social media to express their outrage.
Armed french cops force woman to remove clothing on Nice beach. Has it come to this? #BurkiniBan pic.twitter.com/xMg71qC111
— Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) August 24, 2016
A woman being forced to take her clothes off on the beach. So humiliating. #BurkiniBan #burkini https://t.co/i3aEZbeOaZ
— Anne-Marie Tomchak (@AMTomchak) August 24, 2016
But one poignant side-by-side comparison is perhaps the best indication of the ridiculous double standards that women face when it comes to what they can and can not wear. The first photo is of the police forcing the woman to remove her burkini. The second photo is a vintage photo of a 1920s-era woman having her bathing suit measured by a “Sheriffette” — or, morality police, who’d examine examine women’s bathing suits to ensure they met regulations.
This suit is too big. This suit is too small. When will it be OK for women to wear what they want? #burkini pic.twitter.com/fi1w4jwVy1
— Christina Cerqueira (@cerqueic) August 23, 2016
women: being told what to wear, and how to wear it, since forever.
pic via @cerqueic pic.twitter.com/YMnq2SrkNY— Rossalyn Warren (@RossalynWarren) August 24, 2016
Do you agree with the ban on burkinis? Let us know by tweeting us @YahooStyleCA.