Muslim Swim Wear Fashion at Amman Waves on the Internet and Live

Author(s) Jenny Berglund
Contact Jenny Berglund, Södertörn University, 141 89 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: jenny.berglund@sh.se
Issue CyberOrient, Vol. 3, Iss. 1, 2008, pp. 4-13
Published May 10, 2008
Type Article
Abstract When viewed on the internet, the waterslides and pools at Amman Waves look deserted, but when paying a visit they are filled with children, women and men in various kinds of swim wear. At Amman Waves women’s swim wear fashion ranges from small bikinis to swim-suits that cover every part of a woman’s body except the face, hands and feet. In this article these differences in covering are discussed and categorized in relation to Islamic law. It is argued that this variation in swim wear also has relevance for European societies since it shows possibilities for negotiations (agreement) between traditional Islamic ideals and ideals in modern Western societies.
Keywords gender, Jordan, websites, Islamic law, e-commerce