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.

gordy don't you see that enablers and apologists like you are helping with the oppression.

you are so so eager to appear right on and pro Muslim that you can't see the abuses in front if you.

why do you keep bringing other religions into this? all are utter bollocks
what on earth do you mean Christian women cover up and cover things up?

it doesn't mean anything does it?

you are defending the indefensible. the sexist mysoginistic ridiculous conceit of covering a woman's face and body.

indigo why does their lord want them to cover up?

why are we not all Human then? we are all EQUAL and human - how is that offensive in any way Grab them staws

Indigo Huge respect to you - I don;t think you will be heard or your views respected but thank you for trying x

Oh, and I must add, DH would prefer I don't wear niqab (he doesn't want to get odd looks) but respects my decision to. And I know a lot of my friends' husbands feel the same (poor fellas )

I am not obsessed with the Koran, it's utter bollocks like all religious books but it's a point that no where in the Koran states it's necessary to cover a woman's face and body.

my argument would be almost identical if we were talking about Christian women covering up... :S

Body please show me where, on this thread, or anywhere, i have excused oppressive or abusive behaviour -you can't answer my point but you don't need to be so untruthful

I have worked very hard for almost 30 years fighting abuse - against women and children the world over - so I'd like to see your evidence.

Quote Peaceguloptimist: 'Why is it that men in this society can dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather whilst women are under this pressure to always appear sexually attractive.'

Plenty of dumpy flat heel duffle-coat wearers around like me....if 'free people in a democracy' want to be 'fashion victims' that is up to them. There is no law saying all women must look the same in the West and indeed they do not, there is a great deal of variation...based on age, body size and personal preference.

I am not personally responsible for Western imperialism but if you or your ancestors have chosen to seek a better life in a Western country at some point, it is a bit rich to berate said country for its freedoms. Some tolerant educated Western women feel threatened by dress like the Burka because even in the West women have had the vote for less than a hundred years.
I do not think it appropriate for a nursery assistant/nurse to wear a burka as it impedes her ability to communicate and do her job properly.

i think you're being pretty disrespectful to different cultures gordy by saying they're 'just like the rest of us'.

gordy I don't believe your a feminist at all. No sane person would want anybody shown in such a derogatory manner. I think your want to be seen as very liberal but not actually feminist at all.

And what with the erm all the time ?

I'm not going to read your posts any more as they are getting silly

Great post uk

oh dear so Muslim women are not to be believed that they have their own opinions and make their own choices now a feminist who supports Muslim women having a choice does not know her own mind

That is fucking hilarious

the 'huge respect' for indigo for expressing an opinion, like everyone else has done, is a bit gushing. is it because you are desperate to be seen as pro-Islam no matter what?

well I am a feminist but you can believe what you want - you don't think women should have the freedom to chose things if you find them distasteful - but that is feminist

Dismissing people as 'silly' is a good way of backing out of an argument your are losing though

gordy is so busy fighting for muslim women who love wearing burkas (and bear in mind that no one has denied that many do) that she doesn't seem to give a shit about the other side of the argument.

I'm glad you find it so hilarious because I genuinely think its sad (being that people support covering women's identities)

Freudian apparently if you listen to what Muslim women say you are 'pro-Islam' and not a real feminist

Obviously ignoring them and lumping them into one homogeneous oppressed mass is much more sisterly

still don't understand why their lord wants them to...

no gordy, you just don't seem to care about what muslim women who actually are oppressed say. do some research.

the stupidity of that post is hilarious

The constant ignorance this thread has shown is sad

but keep going

Vampyre, you don't need to understand why their Lord wants them to. You need to learn to respect women who make their OWN decisions.

Why is it so hard to believe that Muslim women in the UK make their own decisions and have the intelligence to do so?

well you know you're not doing a great job when you resort to calling people stupid

why do I need to research - I work closely with a refuge for Asian women right here in the Midlands - I support women who are oppressed and escaping abuse

I also worked for rape crisis for 17 years and have been actively involved in campaigns with groups such as Southall Black Sisters and other organisiations campaigning globally against FGM

Just because i support women on both sides of the debate is no reason to dismiss my views

indigo I respect you but I totally disagree with your need to cover your face and body. I would support a change in the law to ban face coverings for women and men( but they don't of course) in public places.

I don't respect any religion myself but respect your right to follow yours.

the coveting however is not a religious requirement.

oh my good god, i have never in my life said that muslim women in the uk don't make their own decisions. why am i not able to question why they would want to? why am i not allowed to wonder why their lord wants them to? why would anyone want to do something purely because someone else wants them to?