AIBU to think face coverings in public should be banned?

My doctor has me wear a mask in certain situations because it helps me avoid having life threatening allergic reactions. I hate wearing a mask. I have claustrophobia. I hate getting sick and don’t want to die even more.

DH is immune compromised. He frequently wears a mask in public so he doesn’t get sick. This is also at his doctor’s instruction.

we can’t ban face coverings. It would have huge repercussions for medically fragile people.

What a surprise - goady post about Muslims when we have local elections coming up…

Goady AF.

They are though. Compared to the number of people who safely go about their daily life.

I’d happily create a barrier between myself and complete strangers. I don’t care if they need a connection. When women walk around my neighbourhood wearing a niqab, I don’t consider it at all unsafe and I’m quite capable of saying good morning to someone who’s face is covered.

I totally agree,but what would happen if there was another pandemic? (I really hope not!) The government would be telling us to wear masks again!

And what about people undergoing chemo or that are immunosuppressed and masking to protect themselves?

Or who react to cold weather with hives and swelling?

I think it's absurd. You would be banning the religious observance of some religions that don't meet your approval and just fuck off with that.

This is absolutely absurd.

I disagree generally, because I would prefer to live in a country with as many freedoms as possible.

But I find the objections to sensible rules about having to show your face in some situations very contrived. Banks used to - probably still do - require that motorcycle helmets are removed by people entering. I’ve never come across an objection to that. Given the present out of control spate of shoplifting I’d have thought some extension of that would be justifiable.

Primarily I suppose because it's not always cold out there and some people are immunocompromised, whereas religious garb is worn all the time in public places.

So we are legally obligated to show our faces without even being asked to now? Why?

No Halloween costumes then, and no Santa in the streets? Where are you on face paints? Or wigs? Or full beards?

All of these things hide identity.

People who are up to no good are willing to break the law. So they're still going to cover their faces. It being illegal will be a hindrance only to innocent people who will feel obliged to follow the law.

Hell of a shift you make there from male shoplifters and thieves wearing balaclavas to hide identity for criminal reasons to Muslim women wearing face coverings for religious reasons/modesty. How do you feel about married Jewish women wearing head coverings or wigs - religious reasons/modesty or security issue and preventing social cohesion?

Why is covering you face for warmth or health ok but for religion not ok?

I live in Scotland where it’s pretty cold. On Saturday it was -1C plus wind and freezing rain and my phone said it felt like -8C. I wore a scarf over my face to keep warm.

is that allowed in your brave new world?

also you didn’t answer my questions about whether it’s appropriate in a democracy for the government to tell people what to wear and why law abiding people should be challenged by the police?

There is a difference to wearing something that covers the face when it's cold, or when you have a cold (!) etc., however regarding religious garb we could emulate France and be secular couldn't we, niqabs and burkas were banned there in 2011 in public places, and the sky hasn't fallen in.

The main problem is the young thugs, sometimes on bikes and scooters, who wear them because they are up to no good.

I think people should be allowed to wear what they want.

i quite often wear a hat and “buff” across my nose and lower face if it’s cold.

ban coverings, why not go a step further and dictate what women people should wear.

i don’t particularly agree with covering for “modesty” and religious reasons as a) I think religious texts don’t necessarily refer to the body and “modesty” refers to no obvious displays of wealth and privilege. The Sikh turban for example is a leveller- all men wear them so some are not marked as better, or lesser. b) I am not convinced it is always a true choice.

but if someone genuinely wants to cover from head to foot then crack on. Same as if someone wants to wear a bikini for New Year’s Eve in Newcastle. Not going to force people into coats.

I don't think anyone's obliged to make connections with you. And if they have to for some reason, and you can't decipher what they're trying to get across, then it's their choice, not yours, to either remove what's covering their face or simply decide not to persevere with the conversation.

How do you manage with people on the phone? Assuming you can handle a telephone conversation, just treat it like that.

I agree with you OP. I am very hard of hearing and have to lip read as well as wear hearing aids.