aibu to feel slightly on edge when I come across women in the full black burka?

[caroleharolde]

I just always feel slightly threatened, I know the vast majority of Muslims are lovely nonviolent people but.just this sight always unnerve me. Be honest, who hadn't felt a bit uncomfortable when passing by a huddle of the burqa wearers? Not trying to be racist, I'd feel the same if it were Christians or Jews or any other religion wearing it.

Addicted, Seriously??? I was a SAHM for 4 years, returning to work once my youngest started full time education. There's more to contributing to society than just employment I agree, but if a women is covered head to toe then she is cutting herself off from her wider community.

Amra hilarious?
OP, are you serious?
Just cross over the road, my friend!
Lol
(Puts hands to head in disbelief).
Personally, I find moustached men at close proximity to be more threatening.

Anytime you feel the need to qualify your statements with a phrase like "not trying to be racist", chances are you are.
YABU.

emo rubbish - i think she felt the need to clarify that because of the immediate 'racist!' responses she thought she would (and did) get! as i said, treading on eggshells. besides, race wasn't mentioned in the op. could you possibly point out which part of it was racist for me?

The burqa has nothing to do with ethnic diversity and everything to do with a war against women. Those who wear it, and those who insist it be worn, subscribe to an ideology in which women are inferior sexual temptresses,

So it's OK if a man forces his wife/girlfriend to wear a micro mini at all times because he likes other men to look but not touch 'his' property?

Anyone forcing someone else to wear something at all times is wrong. Ok I'll make an exception for small children.

There are times when certain clothing must be worn, I don't want to be operated on by a surgeon not wearing a sterile gown. People working on building sites are compelled to wear hard hats.

Am I bothered about a burka? No. Am I bothered about women being forced by men to wear particular clothes? Yes.

I take the point about racism, technically it isn't, but then technically antisemitism isn't racist either because not all Jews are of the same ethnic origin. But it is definitely an 'ism', antiislamicism maybe? But there is sexism in there too.

No one ever seems to get on their high horse about JW women being forced to wear a skirt when they come knocking at the door, even if it's snowing. No one seems to bother if a Jewish woman wears a wig because she is married.

Well i'm not insulted by someone elses choice to cover up - says more about you and your insecurities than them!

And to hold up the Western ideal of women in society as not being patriachal is just naive.

Anti semiotics mid a term commonly understood to apply to extreme or subtle racism against Jewish people, irrespective of their 'origin'. I am really uncomfortable with your statement.

'huddle of the burqua wearers' and you say your not trying to be racist? hmmmm yabu

addicted are you not even bothered about the reason they cover up?

to hold up the Western ideal of society not being patriarchal is naive? ??? We LIVE in the West which is what this thread is about! !!!!!!!

I don't like the niqab/ burqa. Women are forced to wear it in many cases (including the uk). Scary no, unsettling yes.

I also feel deeply uncomfortable about banning it because I believe we live in a free country and of course many women do choose to wear it themselves.

Vampyre there are many reasons why they choose to cover up, maybe you should ask them what they are.

Guarantee the answers are unlikely to be to be inferior to men, to supress their sexuality etc etc.

huddle of the burqa wearers - the women are choosing not to be seen. I may describe someone else as 'the lady with the pretty blue hijab' or the 'tall lady with blonde hair'. Everyone clad in black is not easy is it? How would someone in a niqab expect to be described? ???

what are these reasons then? because i thought it was mostly to do with keeping the eyes of men off them.

Its to do with emulating one of the wives of Muhammed I believe.

Addicted - fwiw I've asked women who wear burqas and the answers have been along the lines 'it's disrespectful to my father and husband if I don't wear it' and 'I don't want men looking at me now I'm married'

Did you read the article by farzana hassan I posted? Would be very interesting to know your thoughts and views on what she has to say.

i think people are being quite naive if they think that Muslim husbands don't have any influence over their wives 'choosing' to cover up to this extent. if a woman said she chose her clothes based on her husband's approval, there'd be cries of emotional abuse.

I don't know vampire but there have certainly been posters on here in the past who claim they choose to wear the niqab.

i'm sure they do choose to wear it but i'm not sure that it's never based on the fact that their husband's and families approve.

oops. *husbands.

to dress a certain way to please your husband and brother is warped.

imagine if your dh told you to wear a longer/shorter skirt and you posted that in here. posters would be falling over themselves to tell you it's abuse and control, get help, leave the bastard.

i think people are being quite naive if they think that Muslim husbands don't have any influence over their wives 'choosing' to cover up to this extent.

No I'm not. Some men force 'their women' to wear certain clothes. Obviously some of them are Muslim, but certainly not all. Any one seen the abuse advert?

And I will repeat, no one criticizes men who do this unless they are Muslim. No one criticizes women of other faiths who wear clothing / don't wear clothing because of their religious / cultural beliefs. Why? Why just Muslims?

Not Jews, JW's, nuns who wear habits, Kate Middleton arriving at her wedding, none of them are criticised. No one claims they are forced in to wearing anything by their husbands or fathers.

I think the op is rather idiotic

But anyway:
On a personal level I am on nodding terms with some of the niquab-wearing mothers at school. Our Saudi neighbours all wear the niquab (except dad) and we are very friendly with them. The only problem is I am never quite sure which neighbour I am speaking too!

On a general level

*someone on mumsnet described the rise of the niquab among young muslim women as 'punk rock' and I think this is true - it is real rebellion against their more moderate parents and western society in general/

*There is a contradiction between choosing the niquab as an expression of radical muslim beliefs and living in a western country which allows freedom far beyond that of women in Saudi or Pakistan where this practice is a normal part of the culture.

*That it really isn't this massive problem - that women in the niquab are visible and therefore it's perceived to be more ubiquitous than it is, many muslim women live and work in the UK without adopting this practice.

*But I can't support it, politically. It is wrong for women to cover themselves in this way. Western women have fought for equality and freedom and that is a good thing it is better than wearing the niquab. Western society isn't perfect in terms of gender equality but it is much better than Saudi or Pakistan.

and yes I would certainly feel threatened seeing a person in a burka near a tourist spot in a big city.

I think Farzan Hazzan the head if the Muslim council in Canada has it spot on.

burkas are very rarely worn by choice on the part if the women and they are a dreadful symbol of oppression, denigration and subjugation of women.

to dress a certain way to please your husband and brother is warped.

imagine if your dh told you to wear a longer/shorter skirt and you posted that in here. posters would be falling over themselves to tell you it's abuse and control, get help, leave the bastard.

^ spot on