to think that Muslim Girls should not be wearing headscarves....

[PosieParker]

at primary school?

here

My 10 year old SIL has worn a headscarf for years. We are Muslim and personally I would wait until such a time as any DD asked to wear a scarf, but I see alot of weight in the argument that little girls want to be like mummy. I dont think it is that big a deal, it doesnt really effect me.

West African Men and Women wear caps/headties as part of their traditional dress. This has been around way before the Muslims/ Christians brought religion to the area. In fact many of the creole still wear this despite having no current link to west africa, save for their slave ancestry.

But of course you know everything, don't you?
Not at all an arrogant response there and just explains why you feel you can start threads like this.

I am reminded of the golly thread and feel the same applies here, things steeped in historical prejudice cannot shake their meaning. A hijab was to oppress women, to protect them against the lust of men. Women choosing to support this is one thing, inflicting that onto young girls is truly vile.

I think it's misguided for muslim parents to dress their daughters in hijab. I think it's excessive and a misinterpretation of the spirit of covering up. I also think it's misguided and unpleasant that hijab is part of the uniform for girls at this school. I think girls should have the choice to wear hijab at school and parents should have the choice to dress their children in hijab for school, much as I disagree with the logic behind it. I agree that making them compulsory for primary aged girls is odd and unnecessary.

Riven, you have been attacked in our free country, but the people who attacked you were criminals the moment they did it, whether they have been caught or not. You have the choice to cover (as I will vehemently support, despite being someone who chooses not to and thinks it's impractical, everyone should have the right to wear whatever they want). Women in saudi have no choices at all. They don't have lives. Practically, they have owners.

does anyone on this thread think that there is any good that can come of burqa-hating?

because i don't see it.

So are Muslims not British/ Scottish/ English then, tokyo?

Why are they wearing a national dress that is not their own?

There are plenty of covering Muslim women who would condemn some of the stuff that goes on in Iran and Saudi.

Everyone of course is entitled to freedom of speech etc and that includes being able to wear what you want.

Exactly, Edgar- the French banning of the niqab in public FOR EXAMPLE simply reinforces the idea that women have no control over their appearance and punishes the husband; the state assumes the oppressive patriarchal role which is no better.

This is an interesting debate about pre-pubescent girls wearing items designed for modesty; it would be a shame if it became a discussion about banning the hijab.

Should that read covering for women?

Because the Saudi regime is held up as a shining example of how to be muslim by many people in the muslim world.

I'm sorry to lose my temper but it really annoys me when there are so many of your sisters around the world afraid to raise their voices against this opressive hijab and all it sybolises and you are in a country where you have a choice and yet you put yourself and your dd into the hijab. It seems really self-indulgent and nieve to me.

I think those of you who are making silly comments about men not being able to control themselves around uncovered women are being daft. That is not the reason for wearing hijab. The fact that some ignoramuses think it is, is neither here nor there. In Egypt, the vast majority of women have been sexually assaulted in the street and the majority of men think it's ok to assault a woman whose head is uncovered. This is insane. But this is cultural. Don't tell me all muslim countries are the same because they are not. I have been sexually assaulted (bottom pinched) in a muslim country twice in my life, and I've been there over 15 times. The last time I was there I took a taxi on my own and the driver (full beard, robe, head covered) addressed me as 'sister' in Arabic.

What SGB said.

I would also ban all faith schools but I guess that is for another thread.

because, Riven, little girls attending primary school where the hijab is the uniform are not in a position to say "Actually, Mummy, I understand that covering is important to you, but I disagree with the symbolism of the hijab and the oppression is has come to represent in many parts of the world, so I'm not going to wear one any more, or at least not until I actually have something that a normally sexualised male might be interested in looking at. thank you for listening."

So what in your view is the historic reason for the hijab them Eric?

As far as I'm aware the headscarf used to be (prior to the invention of religion#) a way of separating prostitutes and 'noble' women.....

things steeped in historical prejudice cannot shake their meaning.

but they can and do.

the word 'secretary' only ever used to refer to men (as women could not be trusted to use such a complex thing s a typewriter)

nothing has a fixed meaning, no word, no symbol, no action.

Everything is changeable, because what people believe is changeble.

But the hijab isn't the uniform at that school.

There's nothing wrong with the hijab, per se, it's the fact that it is their school uniform.