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.

erm okay I would say, at the time that it was written, it was suggesting women wear a stout coat so to avoid the attentions of men

peaceful - Saudi Arabia is one of the worst countries in the world for women's rights. That's just a fact, you're going to make yourself look very daft if you try and argue otherwise.

gordy do nuns cover their faces - I don't know if some sects do? I'd have an issue with that. I also have an issue with the way nuns and priests treated thousands of vulnerable young woman in horrific crimes in the name of god.

And TBH it's not really a choice if you have grew up with all your mothers sisters, aunts , friends wearing them and all male relatives expecting you to wear them. It's just the norm.

I do have an issue with non Muslim blokes trying to tell non Muslims women what to wear. I told family and friends that there partners where abusive and should not put up with it.

so the Muslim women you know - are they subjugated and oppressed and forced to do things?

Do you swoop in and save them from their evil menfolk on a regular basis or are they, you know, normal women like the rest of us?

I just don't get the fascination with one specific group of women and the belief that they are more oppressed that women as a whole

cresent I think that's a totally different topic

In pain shall you bring forth children, woman, and you shall turn to your husband and he shall rule over you what do you make of that?

It's from the Bible btw

i don't agree with following any religion devoutly if it means anyone is forced to do anything. that's not stereotyping. there is truth in my opinion that many (many as in not all) Muslim women cover up to keep their husbands happy and because men don't appear to be trusted to control their desires, based on these verses from the Qur'an. it is a fact that i have never seen a man with his face covered in the name of religion. not stereotyping - these are facts.

how do you define free choice? because her male relatives say so? because the community dictates?

look women in this country have fought with their lives for equality with men in all areas. we haven't got it yet of course but things are a hell of a lot better even from the 70s when I was at school.

to see women on our streets covered from head to foot, faces covered in the name of modesty is surely undermining what we have fought for namely to enjoy to be treated equally to men, to be taken seriously at home and in the work place.

the covering is NOT required in the Koran.

yes I do belive that we should ban full face covering in this country as it's contrary to our beliefs of women's full participation in our society

and life here in the UK.

gordy i've indicated a few times that the bible could be seen as a very harmful thing...

Gordy, any text that was written over 2000 years ago would not have much relevance in today's society.

gordy how many times do i have to reiterate the fact that it's obvious that not ALL muslim women are oppressed......

gordy I despise all religions as agents of control, especially against women so my reading if the bible quote is that it's an equal pile of crap too.

gordy do you think if a burka-wearing Muslim woman expressed a desire to no longer wear one, that her husband would definitely be okay with it?

do you know for sure that all the families of your muslim friends would fully approve of such a decision?

many Christian women cover up as well and cover up a lot of stuff as well - it's not just a Muslim issue

Oppressing women is just that - clouding the issue by insisting one sector or religion is more oppressive isn't helpful to any woman

Men who oppress women do so for much the same reasons regardless of their faith - they may use faith as the excuse but they would be wrong

Islam is no more oppressive to women that any other mainstream faith

The interpretation of it's teachings by some has been used as an EXCUSE to do all sorts of things - just as the Bible has been used to do the same

But the actual teachings are not the issue - it's the people doing the oppressing

peaceful you know exactly how vile the Saudi regime is for ordinary people especially the women. please stop defending the indefensible.

yes other countries have vile regimes too.

Vampyre I knoe 2 couples personally where the opposite has been the case - the men have not wanted the women to cover up - but guess what, as normal married couples, they had a bit of a discussion and respected their partners views

Because Muslims are the same as the rest of us

this discussion wasn't started about the bible! i disagree vehemently with many christians' interpretation of the bible.

right, so to clarify, you are 100% certain that all your Muslim friends' husbands/fathers/brothers would be as relaxed about it?

gordy if you bother to read the thread you will know I despise the bible.

erm Mishmash a slightly odd question but if the woman DID want to be lead around on a chain then I would tell my 3 girls (being raised by an actively feminist mum who was raised by a feminist etc etc) that while it wouldn;t be what i would choose women can do and be as they wish as long as they have free choice - and yes it's perfectly acceptable for women to be treated 'this way' IE to have complete free will and choice - do you think they shouldn;t be allowed to have that?

and to hint that everyone is the same, regardless of religion or culture is quite offensive.

Before I start, I must say that I have a 7 month old baby who is up every hour at night, so please bear with me if I can't reply to your comments. I'm a zombie at present

I speak on behalf of Muslim women in the UK who wear niqab. Many of my friends and family members wear niqab and I myself wear it too on occasion. I have no idea how others around the world who wear niqab feel.

Muslim women in the UK wear niqab because they:

Want to please their Lord.

It really is as simple as that. Yes, there may be one or two people here and there who may be wearing it for other reasons (like wanting to fit in or please their husband), but the truth is 99% of women wear it because they want to enhance themselves spiritually and believe it will bring them closer to God.

It is extremely extremely difficult to wear niqab. You are constantly ridiculed, feel under threat and people not only look down upon you but give you abuse too. You must trust me when I say that these women have not made this decision lightly to wear niqab. There is absolutely no way that a woman would put herself under such pressure for someone else (like a husband for example), they would only do it for God.

It is extremely sad that women are judged because of their clothing (whether because they cover too much or not enough). I don't judge women who wear just a bikini for example, I would hope that people wouldn't judge me because I choose to cover.

However, in all honesty, I must say that generally I have seen that my fellow Brits are open minded and let women dress the way they want to.

Please, next time you see someone wearing a niqab, stop them and ask them why they wear niqab. Trust me, it'll make their day

On an ending note, why do I feel like I should have name changed for this? Will people treat me differently now that they know I am a Muslim and wear niqab?

Right better dash - baby calls!

so if you can dismiss the Biblical verses why so obsessed with the ones from the Koran - just dismiss them the same way - only you know they reflect the ideas of their time - you know lots and lots of years ago - so both are equally dated