to not send my girls on this school trip because of my beliefs

[JustGiveMeTwoMinutes]

The trip is to a mosque and the girls (year 3 and 4) have to cover their heads with a scarf, the boys don't have to.

Just to be clear about where I am coming from, this is about a specific practice which I believe is discriminatory and therefore disagree with. I would not choose myself to enter a building that I could only enter if I wore particular clothes but where that requirement was limited to one gender or one group defined by arbitrary characteristics. I would be happy to cover my head as a sign of respect/tradition if everyone entering the building was required to do so.

They can make their own decision on this when they are adults.

Am I being ridiculous and petty or is it reasonable to stand up for my view that just because a custom is part of a religion that does not excuse it being discriminatory?

One doesn't have to go to a mosque to learn about them! More timetable space being wasted.
Don't let her go if you don't want to.

Why do women just lie down and take this shit?

Sounds like a tick-box exercise! If you're not happy about it don't send her. Or as others have said, have a chat with her, explain why you disagree but let her make the decision.

The problem here is that being female is not a protected characteristic, in the way that race or religion is. So it's okay to discriminate against us, apparently.

I also think a distinction needs to be made between respecting a person's right to a religious belief and respecting the belief itself. And respect needs to go both ways.

...or she can choose (or the parent can make that choice on her behalf) not to submit to any further sexist expectations.

these kids are aged 7-9

no.ones answered what is so disrespectful about a 7 yr olds hair on show in a . mosque or anywhere else for that matter.

I haven't read the whole thread but YANBU......no way would I or my DD cover ourselves in the name of religion.

I'm just about to cook a supper and open a bottle of Cava so I can't elaborate ;)

Have not read the thread. There is absolutely no way I would let dd become so involved in a religious lesson that she had to cover her head because she is a girl. Ffs.

Meh. I don't swear in front of my grandmother, I don't wear a tight top to a church, I don't drink on the school run. Time and a place, innit? I wore the shawl provided in the Siena cathedral. I'd wear the headscarf here, and feel a lot less under misogynist pressure than on any beach.

It would be perfectly fine and interesting to go to the mosque and discuss whatever can be discussed there. I do not this that it is the point. The point is that girls are being asked to cover up when it is not necessary to show respect to the hosts, and when there are other mosque that are fine with uncovered women. And children.

rose there was once a time and a place for people to be segregated by colour, it doesnt make it right.

And yes, this is a great teaching experience for the girls. Let them experience it.

Rosalies - can you really not see the distinction here? There is a huge difference between common courtesy or safety and rules that are purely for women just because men say so.

Plus the fact that you feel less misogynist pressure in a headscarf is actually a pretty sad situation.

Because the argument here is this mother doesn't want to inflict such sexism on her DDs. But I'm trying to point out sexism is not exclusive to Muslims.

Why not have the experience and discuss difference. Learning doesn't mean you need to agree.

I don't think this is about 'if the boys don't have to why should the girls' my take on this is about the ever increasing anger and fear towards Muslims and in my opinion it will only further hatred if children are prevented from having educational experiences that are different to their own.

I am not a religious person and am actually fairly anti organised religion but this isn't a baptism it is a one off day.

Girls who haven't started puberty don't have to be covered

Please explain why girls have to cover their heads once they reach puberty?
Why don't the boys have to cover their heads?

YANBU. I doubt it would be observed the other way, if Islamic girls wearing headscarfs would have to take them off when visiting a church. Just another way to go overboard not to offend.

Don't send them, I know I wouldn't send my dd. As for learning respect for the different religions, read my above. It would never be done the other way.

Why is it always the women that have to wear the shawls?
why is it always the women who have to cover their heads?

OP, YANBU.

I don't understand this, I have many Muslim friend friends, some of whom are very observant, but none of them have ever expected head covering from non-muslims or pre-pubescent girls... is the school maybe being over sensitive?

Learning doesn't mean you need to agree

Its not about learning its about continuing discrimination and I guess the main learning exercise here is not to stand for it.
Your asking the girls to be subjugated for a learning experience.

And yes, this is a great teaching experience for the girls. Let them experience it.

Yeah - great idea. Let them experience being treated like lesser beings as they are female. Let the boys learn that it's ok to teat girls like this as they're considered lesser beings

I really don't think the school thought this trip through at all. I'd be asking for a copy of their diversity policy and for them to highlight exactly when it's ok to treat the children in their care differently on the grounds of gender. Hopefully they'll say never and the trip won't go ahead.

If my daughter was forced to cover up to get to know another religion, I do not think |I would be any more friendly toward it than before. In the contrary.

Women's rights are tenuous enough in the western world that we should stop shooting ourselves in the foot and accept practices that are unnecessary and demeaning. The more exposure they get the more standard they become.

I see what you're saying Mumma and I absolutely agree that sexism is not exclusive to Muslims. But I don't agree that because that's the case the OP should go along with this sexist practice any more than I think a mother of black child should go along with a racist practice at school simply because society is racist.

I don't have any anger or fear towards Muslims, including those in hijabs and full veil.
I do have an issue with misogyny, and this is clear misogyny

I'd be asking for a copy of their diversity policy and for them to highlight exactly when it's ok to treat the children in their care differently on the grounds of gender YY

'Women's rights are tenuous enough in the western world that we should stop shooting ourselves in the foot and accept practices that are unnecessary and demeaning. The more exposure they get the more standard they become.'

I agree. I also think there's something sickening about seeing young girls happily going off wearing something that marks them out as not good enough for the sake of an 'educational' experience.