Ban the burka?

the right of women to choose what they wear.
everything else is covered by other current laws.

Well then that’s their choice to stay at home then. What is the problem?

They aren't prevented from leaving the home. They don't feel comfortable to themselves?

Why is it so difficult for people to understand that the few women who wear burkas wear them out of choice.

I do find this post ironic given that the garment is often enforced on certain women.

How? Eyes wide with terror of germs versus “what, me, guv?” eyes?

Some shopkeepers said that their hearts would start racing in 2020 when masked people came in. On the other hand, one shop had a shrine to the god of Hands Face Space in the form of a picture of BoJo saying “you must wear a mask”

@TalkToTheHand123

"You can usually tell who is wearing one genuinley compared to someone wearing one for crime"

True but the only way to make it legally enforceable is to have a full ban on facial coverings in public unless required by other laws eg motorcycle helmets etc.

@CantStopMoving

"Ok so my conclusion on the debate, for what it is worth after to reading these comments, is the views come down as to whether you think people’s individual rights to choose how to dress/ practise their religion (ie no banning of anything anytime) trump social harmonisation"

This is a really good summary.

@BIossomtoes

"I don’t want the state dictating what anyone can or can’t wear. That’s the start of a very slippery slope. "

It comes down to the point that does an individual's freedom of choice of how to dress / practice their religion trump the rights of other people and societal harmony.

Many people in society find facial coverings to be intimidating and the ability to see facial expressions is fundamental to human communications.

Whereas facial coverings carry a message of someone with something to hide or criminal activity (eg mugger etc).

It would be wrong to single out the niqab but I would fully support the banning of all facial coverings in public.

I'd rather see face masks banned in public. There is not a pandemic anymore, yet you see people wearing them and a lot of the time they are using them to conceal their identity whilst they go about crime.

It was asked by the new Reform MP, Ms Pochin (surprise, surprise).

She used the opportunity of her first question in the HoC to ask such a ridiculous one. I’m sure her constituents have got more important issues that require her attention!

This doesn’t fit with the narrative below that this is a free choice for women. More exertion and control.

but surely that could be domestic abuse if they are prevented from leaving the house because of the issue?
there has to be a solution to that problem. We live in a country where men and women have equal rights just like the rest of Europe.

There were protests in those countries. What has happened instead is that those women who wore burkas don't leave the house now.

It's just excluded them even more.

Look at poor Sara Sharif 😔 I know that was the Hijab and not a Burka, but the full body covering was used to conceal the child abuse- knowing that no one would question why she was suddenly wearing it. That story just haunts me to this day. I think they symbolise oppression and invisibility. It makes me sad when I see women wearing them

.

So you weren't really asking a genuine question to gauge public opinion... just stirring it.

Ok so my conclusion on the debate, for what it is worth after to reading these comments, is the views come down as to whether you think people’s individual rights to choose how to dress/ practise their religion (ie no banning of anything anytime) trump social harmonisation ie a strong national identifiable national identity unique to each country. in order to get that normity, to a degree it would be acceptable to ban things (a micro example would be the banning of skirts in schools so everyone wears trousers) to bring people generally into line. One of the social norms could be visible faces at all times or banning or overt religious dress (covering all religions) so everyone is dressing westernised to an extent.

I’d be interested to see in a poll where the country is actually split on this rather than elected politicians just telling us what the views are. I actually think neither view is wrong or right.

Doctors and nurses only briefly wear a face mask during certain situations. Even when they wear it I can see their face. People don’t wear ski masks and motorbike helmets down the street and if they did, I’d feel just as scared as I do when I see someone in a burka or niqab. I don’t feel safe. I’m not going to continue this because you clearly think it’s ok to make other women feel unsafe and that it’s ok for men to force or coerce their wife or daughter into wearing a burka instead of just a hijab or just having their hair on show.

This, in spades. And @XDownwiththissortofthingX I completely agree with you.

I’m not sure which poster mentioned the bikini, but as far as I am aware, unless you’re in a beach town or by the seaside, walking around in just a bikini isn’t generally acceptable.