To not know how to explain to DSs why women wear a niqab?

[MrsJamin]

I live in a really diverse area - we've often seen women wearing a niqab on the school run and today I wondered what I would say if DS1 or 2 asked why they were wearing one. I honestly don't know what I should say or how I could explain it. They're 4 and 6. A good idea is welcome as I don't know.

Women who wear niqabs are ultra-religious Muslims who believe that they should be shielded from men's view to protect themselves and to protect the men from the temptation of looking at them.

There was a really good article in the Guardian (possibly yesterday, look online) by a woman who wears a niqab.

Interested to see what people say, especially muslim women.

My recent dilemma was explaining to an 8 yo girl why there aren't many male teachers :(

keep it simple because they want to and some muslim women choose to but not all

"But why do they want to?" would be my DSs reply.

Women choose to, definitely, but they are so selfish!! They remind us every day that we are not equal when we fucking well should be!!! I just do not get women who cover up like this when their husbands walk about in shorts!! It is repulsive!!

Do you object to the hijab too, Pepper?

What are those clothes?
Think of all the times we look at women and say 'Nice hair' or 'I like her lipstick'. Some women don't want others to look at them and think those things, so they cover themselves up.

Why do Muslim women do it?
For some Muslim women, not having men staring at them and thinking they look nice is an important part of their religion. It means they don't want strange men to fancy them.

I've just said that some Muslim women cover their hair and faces because they think God wants them to do that. We're atheists and my kids except that level of explanation.

They don't want to, they are told by their elders that they will bring shame on the family if they don't.

Latara - I understand that! How could I explain it to young boys though without reference to hiding women's bodies from men's gaze? They won't have a clue what that means. The debate isn't whether women should wear the niqab but how to explain the choice of clothes to a young non-muslim male, i.e. my DSs.

What I love pud said, just the same as orthodox jews wearing kippurs, or nuns wearing habits or vicars wearing the collar.
I have a few friends who wear niqab and they are super fashionable, skinny jeans, designer bags etc. Certainly not oppressed :D

I believe people can wear what they want but I don't think anyone should cover their faces. It hinders communication which is non-verbal as well as verbal.

so muslim women who make a choice to wear a niqab are to take some of the blame for women not being equal in our society

right well I guess that is a different view from they have to because they are so controlled by their men

You just have to say that thats what their god says. You dont have to turn it into muslim awareness day :/

Yeah right not one of them wears it because they want to

Most niqabis freely choose it. Whether that's due to internalised misogyny (probably) is irrelevant to the fact that's it's still their own free choice.

Simple answer- because they want to. Why do you wear clothes that cover your body rather than be naked? Everyone wears clothes to varying levels of cover according to what they want to wear. Niqab is just on the 'more cover' end of the scale.

Maybe you could explain why jewish ladies shave their heads and why amish dont have electricity and why catholics eat fish on fridays. I honestly get so fruatrated by this muslim obsession at the moment

I would go with 'because they want to' as well.

Lots of women wear niqabs where we live (West London) and funnily enough neither of mine have ever asked the question.

I have a friend who wears the niqab. I just told my kids (similar ages) that she chooses to wear it because of her religion. We go to church and have friends of many different religions so they are used to religious traditions and diversity of all sorts all around them.

They were fascinated the first time they went for tea at her house and she took it off. I think it is good that they've seen her take it on and off and know that there is a lovely person under there who has feelings and opinions and who should be respected.

Calm down pepper. Women who wear niqab are not responsible for the lack of equality in the western world.
Also anotherplace how ridiculous to suggest that all the women who ear niqab are forced. It's such a lazy ignorant view. How many people have actually spoken to a niqabi rather than spout these tired old ideas?
I have several cousins who wear niqab (I don't even wear a hijab). They are funny, intelligent, articulate women, none of whom are subjugated by their families/husbands and all who have made a conscious decision to wear the niqab. It's not something I will ever do but so what? They want to. They believe it's right for them.

As for OP, keep it simple.

We live rurally and there are practically no people other than white British people here. At my high school we had one chinese boy, that's it!

When on holiday we had a short walk down a little lane to the beach. We passed a lady wearing the full niqab, and I was a little worried about explaining it to my DS.

Despite passing her on a deserted and tiny little track, he didn't turn a hair. I think children are far more accepting, he literally didn't give her a second glance.

I'm astounded by the racism on this thread.

I had to explain to my DS2 that no, the woman he was pointing and loudly exclaiming at, was not in fact a ninja. I hope the woman thought it was amusing, I still cringe when I think of it!

specialagent little secret. It's what niqabis call themselves: ninjabis

I always get stuck at explaining about God as a concept. DS asked what a mosque is the other day and followed it up with a lot of why questions. It went fine until I got stuck in the 'explaining what God is' corner.