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.

yes I am aware of that

but like I said banning a simple piece of material changes the country we are

Yes crescent again I agree those contrasts are ridiculous and are totally in keeping with a patriarchical society as is covering a woman's face.

Banning it is unreasonable as it would have a larger backlash but that does not mean it must be supported.

Spot on crescent.

Great article here.

thinly veiled islamophobia presented as feminism

Women who are all for banning the niqab but claim they are feminists are in fact pseudo feminists.

all psycho babble. covering the face is wrong, ridiculous, exclusive and plain bloody daft.

if you want a name to this stance how about common sense

Jimmy/another, i have not ignored those that have been oppressed and have no choice in whether to wear or not, but this does not mean we can tar all niqab wearers with the same brush.

So you think we should ban the niqab because some women are forced to wear it? What next.... a very slippery slope.

"the doubt many of you have that any muslim women in the UK could be donning the veil as a free and personal choice"

This reminds me of the prostitution debates that rage on here sometimes. There are quite a few MNers who doubt that any escort could be freely choosing to sell sexual services. They say prostitution should be banned. And indeed, it is banned in some places. Where it is banned, the understanding is that personal freedoms can be curtailed in the interests of society.

I am obviously not saying prostitution is similar to wearing burqas, just that the debates have taken a similar turn.

I have followed the debates & reactions that led up to and followed France's "burqa ban", which actually applies to veils, as well. ("Loi interdisant la dissimulation du visage dans l'espace public" = Law banning the covering of faces in public areas). This was another action curtailing the personal freedoms of a few people in the interests of (secular French) society.

Public support for this bill was at about 80%, possibly the highest score in such polls ever. Grand mufti of the Paris Mosque spoke in the Parliament in favour of the bill, saying that covering faces is not prescribed in Islam. The law cleared National Assembly with 335 vote for and only 1 vote against.

Body - do you mean to sound so offensive? Or are you always this rude?

Crescent, i like that video too.

No muslim is saying its ok to be oppressed, whether in a niqab or in a mini skirt. What we are saying though us banning is not the way forward. Considering the bigots are talking of niqab being oppressive, they dont see that their own views do no favours for feminisms either. They really love their colonial and imperial past.

body i really cant see many people calling your 'psycho babble' common sense. Bigoted perhaps, but most certainly not common sense. Do you seriously see yourself as a liberal western feminist.

Completely agree with this view below by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

"Women around the world need to get over the obsession with the veil and work with Muslim women, and here’s why: we are all on the same side, and we need to lay some ground rules that will help us work together to eradicate the problems women face around the world.
For many decades women who follow a religion were excluded as unable to be part of the feminist movement. Muslim women reject that. We believe that the movement towards more gender just societies must absolutely include women of religion if we are to achieve global and lasting change. ".

Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is a writer and commentator on Muslim women’s issues.

Do you seriously see yourself as a liberal western feminist

How could you see yourself as that while conforming to be superior to men?

oh dear why is it rude to point out that in my opinion covering a woman's face with cloth is daft, ridiculous and mysoginistic.

I have not insulted your views. if you wish to cover your face or support those who do then that's up to you.

personally I find it, again, mysoginistic and hope that this particular practise is banned by law here.

I have no particular view on Islam or indeed any religion except to say in my view they are all about power and control, especially of women

of course in the UK laws are voted in and fully discussed. that's how it should be. no bombs, no bullets just the ballot box.

Or rather inferior - I do apologise I'm very tired

defuse the last resort of having no argument is insulting the other person. I haven't called called you a bigot and I am most certainly not one either.

I don't dislike a group of people I dislike people covering their faces in public.

I suspect that people like the OP who feel threatened by face covering would feel threatened by difference in general.

And I think that most who don't like the niqab just feel threatened by people "not like us"

I doubt if women are their main concern.

"Why not strike up a conversation next time you meet a lady in a burqa? I am certain you will find a non threatening woman who has made a choice about what she wears."

Shouldn't that conviction apply to everybody. As in 'Why not strike up a conversation with a lady who has a stocking/paper bag over her face? Or someone nude? I am certain (not really) you will find a non threatening woman who has made a choice about what she wears (or doesn't)."

These ladies may feel equally empowered and liberated by their choices and if we supposedly live in a society where we are free to wear what we want, no questions asked, why not? These would be free choices too.