“Girls don’t swim”

[Jammer]

Back on the topic, I think it is interesting that locally (Minneapolis) we had a women-only pool that was created to serve Muslim women. As I understand it Sharia law does not allow them to wear swimwear or swim where men are present. The pool facility was established as a safety outreach.


It was closed on equal rights grounds because the facility discriminated on the basis of gender.


::shrug::

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Somehow I missed the personal attacks.

Same here

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

I do not accept your apology.

I doubt you bothered to research any of the sources as if that excuses the personal nature of your comments.

You painted me as the ugly American.

You inferred I was culturally and religiously insensitive.

I’m pretty sure the forum members will enjoy what I posted and understand why I posted this story and I’m certain they can clearly see through you.

Captain Mark

Your OP was ambiguous and almost missionary in it’s presentation. It’s was an odd opening that would have taken a mind reader to interpret as anything other than “we must deliver these people from their darkness”.

But hey, you’ve never jumped up and called out anyone else on these forums for not following your protocol, have you?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

A seven minute read on the Panje Project can be found at issuu.com.
Funding for the project came from The Royal National Lifeboat Institute in the UK.
Support and additional funding from The Zanzibar Ministry of Education.
1,000 teachers at 400 schools were trained to teach swimming.
The World Heath Organization recognized Khadija Shariff who returned to her homeland with a Masters degree in International Education Development to assist the project. The project has been covered by National Geographic and CNN.
The numbers of children who drown simply because they never learned to swim are horrific. In Bangladesh drowning accounts for 40% of the deaths of children less than four. In China it is the leading cause of childhood death in children 1 to 14. In Africa it takes a similar toll with more young boys drowning than girls.

The accomplishments of Anna Boyiazis as a photographer are too numerous to list. Her photographs have won her internationally recognition.
Her website contains beautiful photographs of women and girls learning to swim in Zanzibar.
We hope you will enjoy them.
Captain Mark and his manatee crew.

What one has to remember is, swimming is not regarded as a leisure pastime in Islamic communities, it's not just women, it also includes 95%+ of men.
What you and others are trying to do can/will be interpreted as trying to impose decadent western customs on people to weaken their moralities.
I have found many places all around the world where people cannot or are barely capable of swimming, even in the Caribbean Islands.
Its generally regarded as a needless pastime by the majority.
Water is for wading into and splashing around in or bathing while staying in the shallows.. not for venturing out of one's depth.
Until someone can influence politicians to force schools to make swimming a part of the curriculum for pre puberty children will you see any change.. and even then it will not change dress codes or habits.. And it will never reach the Madrasas.

[MikeFergie]

I’m sitting in Zanzibar at the moment. We have been here 2 weeks now after sailing Kenya for 2 months. But I was also herein December and January.

There are few women in the sea swimming in terms of locals, only tourists which by the way have been full up as there have been no COVID restrictions of any kind here which has been a pleasure for us cruising here.

This is very much a religious issue as here all the local fishing dhows etc are men. Even then not all of them can swim which surprises me.

It’s quite a clash of cultures as you have the modern Muslim youngsters being diving instructors etc however the conservative ones sticking to their old professions.

However yesterday there were 3 teen girls that changed into their swim suits next to the rocks where I was swimming and swam but I’m sure they were Christians.

I prefer not to get involved in local custom issues other than trying to understand what they are and the origins otherwise it can “bite you “