Are diving suits outlawed in Cannes, France?
<p>The mayor of Cannes, France has recently <a href="http://www.whio.com/news/news/national/burqinis-are-banned-public-beaches-cannes-france/nsFYT/" rel="noreferrer">outlawed the burqini from public beaches</a>.</p>
<p>I'm an underwater diver. When I heard this news, I had no clue what a burqini looked like. I was quite stunned when I looked at the description<sup><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-burqini-idUSN1717399120070117" rel="noreferrer">[1]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burqini" rel="noreferrer">[2]</a></sup>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The full-length lycra suit with hijab head-covering is not too figure hugging to embarrass, but is tight enough to allow its wearer to swim freely.</p>
<p>The suit covers the whole body except the face, the hands and the feet, whilst being light enough to enable swimming. It looks rather like a full-length wetsuit with built-in hood, but somewhat looser and made of swimsuit material instead of neoprene.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Basically, it looks like a wetsuit. Divers use wetsuits all the time.</p>
<p>Does this mean wetsuits are now outlawed as well?</p>

<p><strong>Short answer :</strong> No, diving suits are ok.</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>Long answer :</strong></p>

<p>Only <em>ostensibly religious clothes</em> are forbidden, both on the beach and in the water (this also forbids nuns and priests to go for a swim in their "professionnal" gear).  </p>

<p>The <em>arrêté</em> says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Une tenue de plage manifestant de manière ostentatoire une
  appartenance religieuse, alors que la France et les lieux de culte
  religieux sont actuellement la cible d’attaques terroristes, est de
  nature à créer des risques de troubles à l’ordre public
  (attroupements, échauffourées, etc.) qu’il est nécessaire de prévenir."</p>
  
  <p>"L’accès aux plages et à la baignade est interdit à compter de la
  signature du présent arrêté jusqu’au 31 août 2016 à toute personne
  n’ayant pas une tenue correcte, respectueuse des bonnes mœurs et de la
  laïcité, respectant les règles d’hygiène et de sécurité des baignades
  adaptées au domaine public maritime."</p>
  
  <p>"Le port de vêtements pendant la baignade ayant une connotation
  contraire à ces principes est également interdit. […] Toute infraction
  fera l’objet d’un procès-verbal et sera punie de l’amende de première
  catégorie, soit 38 euros."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Which roughtly tranlates to :</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Beachwear ostentatiously showing a religious affiliation, while France
  and places of religious worship are currently the target of terrorist
  attacks, is likely to create risks of disturbance  to public order
  (crowds, scuffles, etc.) which have to be prevented."</p>
  
  <p>"Access to beaches and swimming is prohibited from the signing of this
  Order until August 31, 2016 to any person not dressed in a proper
  way, respectful of morality and secularism, respecting the rules of
  health and safety of bathing suited to the maritime public domain."</p>
  
  <p>"Wearing clothing with an opposite connotation to these principles
  while swimming is also prohibited. [...] Any offense will result in a
  ticket and shall be punished by a fine of the first category, 38
  euros."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Source : <a href="http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2016/08/11/le-maire-de-cannes-interdit-les-vetements-religieux-a-la-plage_4981587_3224.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Le Monde</a> (in French)</p>

<hr>

<p>For those who don't know, this is a burkini :</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/sDDqw.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/sDDqw.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a> </p>

<p>A google search shows many other variations of this type of beachwear (<a href="https://www.google.fr/search?q=burkini&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiosuiq1MjOAhUGvRoKHXCRAs0Q_AUICCgB&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=963" rel="nofollow noreferrer">link</a>). As you can see, there's little risk that a wetsuit would be mistaken for one.</p>

france water appearance