My 9y old DD is visiting a mosque with the school & has been told to cover her head.

Riven will have an interesting and informed opinion on this, I would think.

Personally I'd explain my reasons for being uncomfortable with the whole covering-your-hair-thing, but would most certainly let my DD go. Disclaimer: I do not actually have a daughter.

I have never been inside a mosque and would love to have a nosey go. Of course, I would respect whatever rules I'd be asked to obey. That's only good manners IMO.

Does not mean I am in a hurry to convert, mind.

I think you'll find in most mosques the men have to wear hats/caps to cover their heads also.

Women in Islam are equal not subserviant, I think some of you may have been sold the media myth that all muslim women are kept locked up at home obeying their husbands - it really isn't like that. Perhaps if met and mixed with Muslims you would learn this yourselves and see there are many muslim women in postions of authority and prominent roles within this country and others. I would allow your daughter to visit a mosque, have some respect for another culture and cover her head and perhaps she'll learn something....

When I visited the temple in Thailand we were told to cover ourselves up out of respect. Would you object to that too?

Quite, keeping, quite.

My DD wanted to know why girls had to and not boys.

How do you explain that without reference to sex or subserviance?

I have taken a class of year eight students to visit a mosque and none of us were asked to cover our heads. We were asked to remove our shoes. That's all.

I don't think it's an issue with her having to cover her hair, per se, more the inequality of it. I get the impression the OP wouldn't mind her daughter going to a Gurdwara where both sexes are required to cover their heads.

Maybe ask the school if the girls really have to cover their heads if they are dressed in a modest fashion and aren't muslim. If the mosque say that girls must cover their heads, then if you'd like her to visit the mosque she will have to do as requested.
You can explain that it's part of the way people interpret islam. I think, but I'm not sure that the Koran doesn't actually mention women covering their heads, it is just how it is interpreted, but I could be wrong.
Of course men and women are equal, but not everybody treats men and women equally, surely that's a lesson worth teaching?

I'm not sure what your problem is with it TBH? Being different does not have a value ascribed to it.

It's part of the muslim religion. Blimey, believe what you like about women's rights but it's really a case of 'if she wants to go in she needs to follow their customs out of respectfulness.'

I think your assumption that the headscarf is some sort of affront to the rights of muslim women is a tad patronising to be honest.

Ah, but we don't respect people who believe women have a different ( lesser) role than men.

( I don't respect religion in any form either but that's a whole new topic!)

I think difficult questions are more likely to arise if you make an issue of it with her.

Ah, BTDT.

I feel/felt as you did. For us, it wasn't about culture but a religion that decreed that women had to cover their heads while men didn't. And the reasons they had to cover their heads was because the woman is subserviant and because she has to hide her sexuality.
We explained why, as an atheist feminist household we found this unacceptable and DD decided not to go.

Why don't you just teach, by example, respect for other people's beliefs?

when you go to certain places then it is respectful to follow their customs.

any questions she has can be answered truthfully and will hopefully allow her a bit more understanding of other faiths.

if you don't want her to cover her hair then don't let her go at all.

I'm not sure what you mean by it raising questions that you are not prepared/willing to talk to her about

Why can you not just explain to her that some religions believe that this is appropriate; you don't agree with that belief but you do think she should show respect to other people's beliefs when visiting their places of worship (unless of course you don't believe that; then you can explain to her what you do believe!)

I would explain that that's the deal if she wants to go on the trip, and then let her choose. Trip with headscarf, or stay home without. I think I'd probably encourage her to go though, cos it will be an interesting experience for her, as a one-off.

You "strongly believe that men and women are equal," so you're not willing to answer any questions she has? That doesn't make much sense.

And I think it's a symbol of respect when entering a place of worship on a vistit which will hopefully be enlightening and interesting and go a tiny way to promoting tolerance and understanding. Although nine does seem a little young, I havwe to say, to cover hair. Unless all Muslim women cover hair when entering mosques, even little ones? (Little girls, not little mosques).

Explain to her the reasons you disapprove, then leave it up to her.