Forum Index
»
Off-Topic
French ban on burqas - what is your take?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
FIFA already ruled that. In June we won't see any demonstration of religious beliefs in the field. SO SAD! |
Anonymous
|
I am the 1/27 11:20 poster. I agree with Jeff that many of the supporters of the ban here and elsewhere are motivated by bigotry. I still admit to being very torn about this issue, and probably would need to read more about what the ban itself encompasses to have more of a view.
I still stand by my view, though, that the burqa is very different from other articles of clothing (particularly the hijab which I have no problem with) in that it takes away someone's identity. I certainly don't think people should be banned from wearing it in their front yard. But, I do think there are many cases where one's identity needs to be known and thus, some restrictions may be warranted. I don't see this as just another clothing choice. To me it represents the subjugation of women in a particular strain of islamic culture. Note, only a small minority of muslim women wear it so I don't see this in any way as representing my religion. I come from a long line of very strong working women who also derived a lot from their islamic faith. None of them even considered wearing a burqa and I take inspiration from them that you can be a strong and independant women who is still also a practicing muslim. The irony is that it is the men that are most obsessed with what women wear. I believe that was one of the first things that the taliban did was to force it on women in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, I do think that for the situation to change for women who are forced to wear it, the men need to change which is a much harder proposition. |
Anonymous
Burqa on a escalator?? Haha. PE class or sports or chem lab. More violence against synagogues in France etc. How about the head lice check ? |
Anonymous
Those seem like they would raise personal safety issues as well. |
jsteele
Site Admin Offline
Site Admin Offline
Just to be clear, I have no interest in whether women wear or don't wear a burqa. My issue is with laws prohibiting it. Also, I was not reacting to the specifics of the proposed French law, but to comments made in this forum. If someone has negative feelings about the burqa, I fully support their right to use civil methods of persuasion to convince woman not to wear it. Inviting such women to a women's club and getting to know them would go a whole lot further than a law that ostracizes them. Treating this as a legal issues simply pushes an already alienated minority further toward the margins. |
Anonymous
| One of the greatest factors for change is to give women education and employment opportunities. This will give them financial freedom and the power to change their standing. Not easy to do when women are considered second class citizens who exist to serve and please men. |
Anonymous
Oh shut up. There's several girls in burqas here at school and they have plenty freedom to chose what they want to do. If they prohibit this women from wearing that they want/need to they'll be keeping them prisoners in their own homes! Would you fly if your government suddenly prohibited you from wearing a shirt for security reasons? How would you feel bare chested in public? Such laws are outrageous! |
Anonymous
Long hair too. I can't say how many times the professors have to ask the girls to put their hair up before class and they keep complaining and make faces until the day their beautiful hair catches fire. The problem here is ignorance and prejudice. We're scared of the unknown! |
Anonymous
|
About the origin of the burqa: Did you know?
"This type of dress has its origins with desert times long before Islam arrived. It had two functions. Firstly as a sand mask in windy conditions. This would be worn by men and women and is still common today. For women only the masking of the face and body was used when one group was being raided by another. These raids often involved the taking of women of child bearing age. With all women hidden behind a veil the chances of being taken were substantially reduced as the women of child bearing age could not be quickly distinguished from the very young and the old in the turmoil of fighting." Should I yell at you for dressing your kid in long sleeved T-shirt at the beach? NO! today we have beach gear that has UV protection for the children to enjoy the beach, do you believe that back then they had such gear to protect them from the sun in the desert? Why don't we research a bit about the origin of a habit before trashing it? |
Anonymous
|
I think about my DD. Normalizing the burka culture is creepy. Prayer rooms in schools and footbaths. French tax dollars. What the heck is wrong about France being French?
|
Anonymous
Burqas, really? What school is that? |
jsteele
Site Admin Offline
Site Admin Offline
Well, that certainly opens lots of doors. 
|
Anonymous
| Regardless of the origin of the burqa, we are talking about how it is used today. It is not being used today to prevent invading tribes from kidnapping another tribe's reproductive aged women. Nor as a protection against sand storms. It is being used as a tool of oppression against women. |
Anonymous
Oh so should we burn our bras all over again? 
|
Anonymous
| We are not forced to wear bras in america. Anymore. |