Burqa Ban In France By Amanda Morse

History of the Burqa Although there are many variations in women’s Islamic headdresses, the most concealing is the Burqa. The Burqa covers the entire body and face, leaving only a small slit open for the eyes (which is even sometimes covered by a thin transparent fabric). The wearing of the Burqa pre- dates Islamic religion, but it’s use is most common among Islamic followers because of stipulations in the Islamic Holy book, the Quran, about women being modest and covering themselves.

Burqa Ban in France In early September of 2010, a law was passed in France that banned the wearing of the Burqa and the niqab-the two most concealing Islamic coverings-by women in public. French lawmakers claim their reason for the ban was to “ensure the dignity of the person and equality between sexes” and that the Burqa imprisoned women, prohibiting them from expressing themselves freely. According to the ban, people could face fines for concealing their face in public (Although the law does not specifically mention the Burqa or niqab, French President Nicolas Sarkozy openly said that “veils are not welcome [in France].”) and even steeper fines and possible imprisonment for anyone who forces a woman to wear a veil. In 2004, even before this ban was put into effect, French law makers passed a similar law banning the wearing of Islamic headscarves in the classroom.

Today Despite advice from the French Council of State to reexamine the ban-as it potentially violates not just international laws, but the countries own constitution-the ban was passed almost unanimously. Since the ban in September many devout Islamic followers have out rightly protested it, saying it prohibits them from freedom of expression of their religion. 61 people have been arrested for unlawful protests against the ban, and many women have openly admit their plans to continue to wear the veil despite it. Other countries, including Belgium and Italy have moved to make similar bans of their own, spurring growth of both opposition and support of the ban across the UK.

Secularism in the UK France and all of UK are considered to be a secular union, meaning that they separate their government and state from religion. Supporters of the ban say that the veils violate the freedom of expression of the wearer and go against the secular beliefs of the union. However, many Muslims and opponents of the ban feel that they are losing their freedom of the expression of religion and that their basic human rights are being violated.

Islamaphobia The banning of the veil in public as well as in schools in France and the UK has left many Muslims feeling stigmatized and outcast. With Islam being the 2 nd largest religion in France and worldwide, the ban against these veils is just another way to establish fear and ignorance of the religion.

Muslim Women Speak Out Kenza Drider, a Muslim woman from the UK, believes the bill violates her rights, and she plans on continuing to wear her veil despite it. “I will under no circumstance stop wearing my veil.” “[the veil] is a submission to God.” Nesrine Malik, a Muslim woman who lived in the UK all of her life with no veil or Islamic garment, moved back to Saudi Arabia when she was 18. In her 3 years in Saudi Arabia, Malik wore full dress and Islamic veil, and talks about how her feels about the veil changed from dread to delight. Expressing the sense of empowerment and control she felt over herself when wearing the veil, Malik comments, “Once social status or physical beauty cannot be established, all sorts of hierarchies are flattened.” In her opinion, and evidently in the opinion of many other Islamic women refusing to unveil themselves, “To force a female to remove her veil is just as subjugating as forcing her to cover.”

Consequences By creating this ban, France and UK are only widening the ever growing gap between the East and The West. The ban supports religious ignorance and fear, making religious tolerance less acceptable and forcing conformity within a country that prides itself on dignity and freedom. Although much Islamic attire is still legal to wear in these areas, if the right to wear the Burqa and the niqab is not fought for, it would not be unlikely that all Islamic clothing could be banned in the future.

Islamic Veils and Attire.

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