In the latest attack on the >burkini, the full-body swimsuit, a Muslim American woman was asked to leave her residential pool in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking to Gulf News, the expatriate identified as B.G. said she was asked to leave a communal pool after another resident complained about her burkini, making her feel "disturbed" and like "an outsider."
B.G., who resides in the Remraam residential community, revealed she was swimming in the compound's communal pool with her husband when a lifeguard told her she could not swim unless she wore something tighter.
Soon after, a community manager on site approached her and reiterated the lifeguard's statement.
According to the manager, this came in response to another resident's complaints about her burkini.
"I was wearing a burkini, which is a little non-traditional, as the pants were not as fitting as other burkinis," she said.
"I wear it because of modesty reasons, and had ordered it online from a French website, and got it customised for me."
"I felt like my civil rights were being tampered with"
B.G. said she was shocked to have experienced this form of discrimination in the UAE, a Muslim-majority country that often >champions religious freedom.
"I felt like my civil rights were being tampered with and I thought that I should call the police, because at this point, Islam was involved.
I was infuriated and felt like I should at least be allowed to wear modest clothing in a Muslim country."
She went on to explain that her French husband moved to Dubai "so he can practice his religion in a safe environment."
The lifeguard "has mistaken the swimwear for a regular outfit," according to the management company
Taziz, the management company in charge of Remraam, deemed the incident as a "misunderstanding," according to >Gulf News
The company claimed the lifeguard had mistaken "the swimwear for a regular outfit, and he acted in accordance with our hygiene standards related to garments worn in the pool."
Taziz added that management will take the necessary measures to prevent similar occurrences from happening again, noting that they will put up posters to assure that burkinis are allowed in the community pool.
Additionally, their lifeguards "have been sensitized further with a full educational program about ‘modest swimwear’ commonly worn in our region."
Not an isolated incident
Designed to help Muslim women enjoy the beach without compromising their modest dress code, the burkini has stirred >controversy during the past year.
Many >incidents of discrimination against women wearing burkinis have made international headlines and stirred debate.
Last year, several towns in France decided to >ban full-body swimsuits. The country's highest administrative court then ruled that the "burkini ban" is illegal and a violation of fundamental liberties.