Beach town bans men's too-short swim trunks, sparking debate and rule flipflop
The mayor of Chetaïbi, Alegeria, called for longer and looser shorts on men — issuing a decree banning them from walking around in Bermuda shorts.
"These summer outfits disturb the population. They go against our society's moral values and sense of decency," Mayor Layachi Allaoua said, according to The Associated Press (AP).
"The population can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing," he added.
The decision sparked a regional debate over religious and traditional attire as opposed to the habits of more open-minded beachgoers.
Officials in the coastal city of Annaba called on the mayor to rescind his order.
After two days of controversy, the mayor did reverse the order — saying he wanted to preserve "peace and tranquility" for both locals and tourists and that he was not influenced by Islamist pressure, according to AP.
In 2023, 3.3 million people visited the North African country of Algeria, according to the tourism ministry.
Islam is Algeria's official state religion, with 99% of residents identified as Sunni Muslims, according to the CIA's World Factbook.
Between 1991 and 2002, the Algerian Civil War led to more openly visible religious practices in daily life.
"Modesty is a foundational virtue of Islamic culture, which is intrinsically linked to awara," notes a study published in the MAQOLAT: Journal of Islamic Studies.
"The idea of awara … refers to the parts of the body that must be covered to maintain privacy and dignity," the study says.
Men should cover their bodies from the navel to the knees — while women must cover their entire body aside from face and hands.
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