Long Muslim scarves and lots of clothes worn on the beach can make a woman feel like a fish out of water. One resort in Egypt is making it safe to dive in. Called "La Femme," its women-only status means that women can swim, breast feed, and lounge in bikinis safe from the prying eyes of men.

Given the guidelines of the growing conservatism in the mostly Muslim country, more and more women opt to follow the strict Muslim guidelines of covering their heads and skin. This beach is one of the only ways they can frolic and still be fiercely religious. One woman in her 60s basking in the sun says, "Sometimes I turn around and look behind to make sure there are no men. And, thank God, there aren't any. It is 'haram' (forbidden in Islam) to strut around in front of men in a swimsuit. It is an excellent idea to have a beach reserved for women only."

To see how they guard the women, read more.

It costs money to sunbathe safely — it is mostly upper-class women who can afford the $14 for a weekend's entrance into the gated beach club. With thick branches shielding the women from view and guards at the entrance searching for cameras that might be used to post pictures of the women on the Internet, the women are delighted. One bikini-clad gal says, "It is wonderful here. We don't have to put up with the prying eyes of men. But on the mixed beaches it is unbearable."

I don't know about you, but the idea of women-only places like beaches (or gyms!) sounds just peachy to me. Would you sunbathe sans dudes?

Source

Love This Email Print Facebook Stumble It!