#162: Neanne Alnafta on the Representation, Fear & Ocean Swimming

Neanne Alnafta doesn’t like labels. But it is hard to introduce someone without them.  So for this moment, I will share that she is a proud Muslim woman, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, an ocean swimmer and a volunteer surf lifesaver. She is also someone who is (and I quote) “freakishly scared” of the ocean. I came across Neanne’s story after reading an article about an organisation called ‘Swim Sisters’, an all-female swimming squad that empowers women, especially those from Islamic backgrounds, to feel more confident and comfortable in the ocean. You may know Swim Sisters by its former name - Burkini Babes, a group launched in France in 2016 by a group of women who were banned from wearing burkinis on the beach. In this conversation, Neanne and I discuss: - her love of soccer growing up, - why she felt like swimming and beach life weren’t for her after she started wearing the hijab,  - the power and importance of representation, - what prompted her to become involved in ocean swimming and then surf lifesaving (despite being “freakishly” scared of the ocean),  - the healing impact of ocean swimming on mental health, - why fear is not a bad thing. Get the full show notes for the episode here.