To ask how many times you have seen anyone wearing a niqab (full face veil revealing eyes) or burqa (full face veil with mesh cover for eyes)?

Enough to make counting it a really silly idea.

That's my approach also, and I agree with you. There has to be a security risk to having the whole face and body covered, regardless of the religious/cultural issue. France manages fine with a ban and it has a huge Muslim population.

A ban would be more accepted I think if it was on grounds of security and included balaclavas and similar.

Not that many locally to where I live but in central London a few niqab wearers.

God yes. Please can we ban fat shirtless blokes from town centres.

Would also prefer to see fewer teenage arse cheeks out in public.

All the time, in the north of England. Nearly always accompanied by a man, who has no such restrictions placed upon himself

It stops women fully integrating into the community, it stops women communicating fully, it’s controlling, divisive, and had no place in any cultures

The niqab is not just an article of clothing, it’s walking purdah, it’s actually horrific but normalised now. I saw a poor lady trying to walk around with a one eyed niqab (this is an actual thing in north africa). It’s ridiculous and when imams say shit like “if you had a jewel would you show everyone it” then no it’s not a free choice. You are owned by the man in charge of you and he’s the only one who can see your face because otherwise you may cause fitna or other men will know what your husband has. It’s not modesty, it’s a prison they’ ve managed to convince some women to get into. It’s designed to de-humanise women. Fuck that.

I used to think women should have a free choice over this, I genuinely thought it was beyond the pale to tell any woman what to wear. But as I said it’s not just an article of clothing. I remember when everyone thought Kanye West was forcing his wife to walk around oretty much naked, we rightly identified that as abuse. Even if someone accepts the abuse doesn’t mean they are not being oppressed.

I actually had a good think about what it actually means and why it’s so important to some people that women wear them. We reject FGM because we recognise the harm it causes, we should reject the niqab on the same basis.

Lots of people in the area I work, also lots of people who wear abayas with a scarf and veil.
Their clothing doesn't affect me in any way and I think your idea of policing what people wear is disgusting. What gives you the right to criticise?

It’s not a choice for the majority of women. Yes some may choose to wear them. But why would you when your husband is wearing shorts and a t shirt. I don’t agree with them in the U.K.

People have a right to discuss what it happening in their culture. The responses are valid, with various reasonings given from both sides.

Why is it sad?

I love that I live in a diverse city, that my daughter has been exposed to a huge range of religious and cultures, we’ve had great conversations about Judaism, Muslim, Hinduism, Rastafarian's, Buddhists…. The differences in food, language, traditions between various communities from the same general geographic regions, she’s taught herself bits and pieces of several languages so she can communicate with new kids in school or surprise a friend by saying something in their native language.

I trying to work out the point of this post? and why should it matter to anyone else other than the Muslim women wearing it 🤷🏻‍♀️ perhaps the OP can expand.

It doesn’t bother me in the slightest and I completely support the right of any woman to cover as much of herself as she wishes.

Bless you. I know you're trying to come across as cool with it but you do realise it isn't usually their choice? Men make them cover up. Still cool with it?

Its extremism plain and simple.
Moderate muslims wear no head covering, or the hijab. Extremists enforce or wear the veil.
Personally I don't think extremism should be made acceptable.

You can parent all you want but it doesn't stop seeing it in the street from being harmful, especially if its on a big and very much growing scale.

There's a couple of women in my town who wear a niqab. It makes me so angry for them that they live in families and an unequal culture that think it's acceptable. Imagine never feeling the sun or fresh air, not being able to wear comfortable clothes or exercise easily.

Id favour a ban on all full face coverings in public, starting with balaclavas.

All the time in London.

I wouldn’t support a ban unless there was clear evidence that Niqab or Burqa wearers supported a ban.

Otherwise, I don’t think the government should be telling anyone what they can or can’t wear.

I think that rather than banning it there should be support and help for women who feel coerced into wearing it and respect for thechoice of women who wish to wear it.

Which is where you come in as the child’s parent. I’ve had lots of conversations with my daughter where I’ve explained that every woman has the right to choose what she wears as long as it’s appropriate for the location and situation. That some people have specific dress codes based on their culture or religion, that I don’t agree with it but do support everyone’s right to be able to make that choice. I’ve explained that some people are forced into it, we’ve spoken about Afghanistan and other extreme ends of various religious beliefs.

Well are the women in niqabis intimidating or oppressed? Does it conceal burning Islamicist beliefs likely to issue in terrorist activities, or a cowed obedience?

seems to me people project their own fears and fantasies onto this manner of dressing.

I live in South Yorkshire. I've seen quite a few women wearing niqab but the hijab is far, far more common. Never seen anyone wearing a burqa in the UK.

No burkas, but lots of niqabs. Edinburgh. It’s not quite daily, but it’s not at all unusual to see them in the main areas. I kind of assume they are tourists, but how would you know. I hate it when you see a little group walking a few paces behind a casually-dressed man.

One thing I’ve noticed is a disproportionate number of face-mask-wearers are heavily-veiled Muslim women. It crossed my mind that that might be a niqab in another form.

Walking around London I see women in stilettos and mini skirts less often than I see niqab.

most women are just wearing ordinary clothes

I see many each day where I work in central Leeds. Their teenage/adult daughters don't wear them, so the families I see are clearly making their own choices

Genuinely amazed people see so many.

I’m a Muslim myself, live in London and honestly, perhaps seen 10-20 women dressed in the niqab in entire life.