Burqa Banned in France

France has banned the Burqa. Protests are taking place as I write. This legislation has the world divided. What are you views?

As a believer in human rights and feminism, I would like men to stop telling women what to wear and when to wear it. For this purpose, I find it extremely patronising to have legislation dictating what a woman can and cannot wear. As long as women are wearing Burqas out of choice.

If a woman is being forced to wear a Burqa then of course, this is oppression and a violation of her rights. This rightly, needs to be addressed. However, I cannot see how this legislation can enforce punishment of oppression and I do not see the French government getting involved in this. I see this as a lip service clause to cover up this sexist and racist legislation.

However, there is another side to this argument which I find valid. In public places, such as banks and shops, we are not allowed to wear headgear such as motorcycle helmets as they cover up our face. Of course, any sane person can see the reasons why. We do need people to be identified on CCTV when crimes takes place. Therefore, surely a more suitable legislative proposal would look at headgear in public places that prevent identification whatever race, sex and creed.

Hoodies have been banned in many places because they provoke fear. Sadly for the Burqa, associations have become negative in the western world, especially during the rise of fundamentalist Islam. A frightening thought is that during many radio phone-ins today, there seems to be a general consensus in London agreeing with France and Sarkozy. So as Sarkozy gets closer to Le Penn, the National Front is applauding.

It seems that as the West cannot deal the problems they see with Islam fundamentalism, big bully France starts on women.

Bunty

Posted on April 11, 2011 at 2:54 pm in Daily Musings & Ponderings | RSS feed | Reply | Trackback URL

Tags: Ban, Burqa, France, Government, Human, Islam, Le Penn, Men, National Front, News, Oppression, Politics, regimes, Rights, Votes, women

6 Comments to “Burqa Banned in France”

jonolan
April 11, 2011 at 3:31 pm

You underlying premise is utterly flawed, possibly due to the misandry that seems a core foundation of Feminism.

Women do not wear the burqha, as opposed to hijab, out of choice. Women wearing that “garment” don’t have choices; they’re subjugated by Islam.

Hence, they must be forced – deprogrammed as it were – to cast off their cloth shackles. They’re not going to do it on their own because they’ve been indoctrinated, often brutally, since birth as have their mothers and grandmothers.

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Bubbly
April 12, 2011 at 6:04 am

I am a muslim, not a very good example of one most of the time but I am one nevertheless. I despise the sexism connected to the burqua as it is an oppressive garment but I think the ban is too extreme a measure and ill thought out. A governemnt can’t get involved in dictating what women are legally allowed to wear and being this heavy handed may mean that the women who wear them are forced to stay indoors.

Whatever your opinion, we can never imagine what it is like to wear one on a daily basis but at least it gave women freedom of movement. Just think, the burqua is the only visible/public oppression we see never mind all the rest. Education and a programme of cultural integration/public debates would have been better. Banning it is just as sexist and patronising as forcing women to wear one. Men will decide for or against it.

I have lived in London for 5 years and hardly even notice women in burquas. No one in my extended family wears one so it’s not like I’m used to seeing them but maybe if people/the media weren’t so hysterical about it opinion would change.

Incidentally, the burqua is not a part of Islam, a muslim woman cannot complete the Haj if her face is covered which is actually a reason it is even more pathetic as fundamentalist muslims are even stricter than the god they worship.

Bubbly

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Vakeel Bibi
April 13, 2011 at 6:25 pm

You say in your article that you would like men to stop telling women what they can wear – besides the fact that this law was not JUST passed by men, do you think a woman CHOOSES to wear this thing?

Women are ALWAYS coerced into wearing these to please a man in their lives – if a young girl is forced to wear it, well first of all she is too young to choose, and she will wear it to follow the rules in her family imposed by the men.

Women that choose later in their lives wear it to please their husbands (this includes moderate muslims who marry strict muslim men and also converts).

I think burqas have no place in modern European society and I admire the French for being brave enough to ban them. They represent an oppressive attitude to women that they are to be hidden in this manner from society. Yes the risk is that some women will become housebound – but think of the women that will have to continue to work, for example, and how liberating it will be for them to show their face.

If muslims want to subject their women to this way of living then perhaps they should live in countries where it is acceptable – why should the men benefit from living in a secular free-thinking society and the women should not?

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jonolan
April 13, 2011 at 7:21 pm

There’s also a particularly French bias involved here based upon their specific colonial history. Algerian rebels supposedly routinely hid themselves by cross-dressing in the burqa!

That memory is still there in France’s cultural mind and raises the specter of public safety issues involving terrorists doing the same.

Reply
Bunty
April 13, 2011 at 7:50 pm

I am not naive enough to think that only men passed this law, however, Sarkozy is a man and this is part of his legacy. As leader of the country, he s responsible for the laws that are passed.

Whilst I agree that the Burqa is an oppressive form of dress and its origins are to oppress women, I have to say that there are women who do choose to wear the burqa. I have worked extensively in community cohesion projects over the past ten years where women have worn burqas out of choice. It is what they feel comfortable in and see it as their cultural dress.

I do not admire the French as I feel this law has nothing to do with oppression but everything to do with power and political popularity. I agree with Bubbly, that banning this does not solve the problem and a community integration and educational approach may have been a better option.

For me a modern European society is one where everyone can be respectful of each other’s views and values. A burqa is not a gun. It does not need to be banned, just educated out.

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Vakeel Bibi
April 14, 2011 at 8:40 am

I completely appreciate that these women THINK they are choosing to wear a burqa – but if they link it to their culture then they are usually told to wear it from when they start their period, so around 12 years old. Do they have the freedom to choose NOT to wear it?

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