I have to ask any french people who might be reading this, what’s so wrong about burkinis? Secularist though I am, I think people have a right to wear what they chose. The moment a government starts dictating how people dress, for whatever reason, a line is crossed; you have taken a step towards fascism. One may not like religion and the problems it causes – I certainly don’t – but to dictate something like this, to ban an item of clothing on religious grounds and then to fine anyone for wearing it, surely exacerbates the problem. It will just make these islamist nut-jobs feel even more persecuted. People have a right to wear what they choose: I mean, what if I suddenly took a shining to burkinis and decided to get one? It would have nothing to do with religion, if we had were the same ban here as they do in france, I could presumably be fined. While I know those who made this ban would argue that they are standing up for women’s rights in the face of oppressive religious doctrine, women should still have the option to wear burkinis; the choice should be theirs. Making rules about what people can and cannot wear is surely no way to solve our current problems.