AIBU to think face coverings in public should be banned?

[OpheliaWasntMad]

Should all types of face covering in public be banned? I think they should. Mainly I’m concerned that people in balaclavas and face coverings are shoplifting and stealing phones etc with impunity.
People with balaclavas on marches look threatening and sinister.
Women with niqabs create a barrier between themselves and others as it’s hard to form connections if you can’t see someone’s facial expressions.
I think all face covering should be banned. It contributes to a society that feels more unsafe and divided.

No, Government in the UK should not be in the business of telling any woman how they can dress. I do not like full face coverings, but it is a matter of choice. Although only a small number of muslims where a full face covering, the purpose in any ban would be to make their lives less comfortable and to send a message that Muslims are not welcome.

I would ban the hijab while at it

Yes. Many are just to get away with something, without cameras being used. .

No, it would be sending a message that regressive Islam isn't welcome here, not that Muslims aren't welcome. There are thousands of Iranian women fighting for their freedom yet you think women should be "free" to veil here? That is not freedom.

I think that was more of a myth. It’s more true of a baggy blue but outside of work most people I see who are still wearing masks have an FFP2 or higher which will protect both even if the fit isn’t perfect.

Who gets to decide if protecting your health in any given case is a suitable reason? Would people have to prove medical history if the OP is proposing to allow them for health in only specific circumstances.

I include all face coverings . Including the niqab. But I agree that niqab wearers are unlikely to pose a threat in the same way as balaclava wearing hooligans and I am more concerned about the hooliganism.
( My reason for banning niquabs is because it is not a religious requirement and I think it isolates women from minority communities. In very rare cases it can be used to disguise identity)

Who would enforce such a ban?

And, what about delivery drivers on electric bikes in balaclavas zooming all over the place and don't obey the Highway Code... but if my grandson were to do such a job I'd want him to wear some sort of face covering in the cold weather and to prevent breathing in all the toxic fumes

As for the niqab - I'm not a fan but does it cause any real problem for the average person?

I agree it’s not easy … but my local coop has been raided so many times by masked thugs …
And everyday in my area boys riding lime bikes go around with their faces covered.
Some people here don’t think that the problem is out of control … they must live somewhere nice and quiet ..

If you're idea of "freedom" is women having their clothing choice outlawed by the goverment then I don't want it.
Do you seriously think the goverment taking away women's choice to choose their outfits is somehow making women less oppressed?

Why? Would also you ban the kippah/yarmulke or is it only Muslim head coverings that bother you?

So because women in Iran are fighting for the freedom to dress as they wish, we should stop women in the UK dressing as they wish?

My reason for banning niquabs is because it is not a religious requirement and I think it isolates women from minority communities

Many religious women wear wigs, long drab dresses, and head scarves - they stand out a mile and it isolates them, are they to be banned?

Just how many niqabs do you see out and about? Dare I ask where you live

No one, in any country, should be telling women how they may dress.

I think the hijab and burqa should be banned in this country same as it is across a lot of Europe now.Couldn’t care less whether I am thought to be racist.

Always amazes me that people (especially women) support religious garb that is used to oppress women. To cover their face so other men can control themselves sexually, control the woman and all under the guise of modesty and choice. Let’s be honest, it’s not a real choice for these women.

I couldn’t imagine having to cover myself head to toe every day, any religion that expects that is misogynistic and patriarchal. Any woman who supports that is batshit in my eyes and welcoming her own oppression under the misapprehension of being kind.

As an aside, I’d welcome a ban on all face coverings. We’ve seen a rise in protestors from all sides using them to commit violent acts under the guise of protesting. It’s being used to shoplift or commit crimes. It makes it far harder for us to track down and ID criminals.

Frankly, I find face coverings intimidating and I don’t like that Covid normalised it and it’s now often used for nefarious purposes and very rarely for medical reasons.

Totally agree (see my above comment).

The amount of people who don’t see it as a tool to control women is amazingly naive.

My local Coop is regularly thieved by unmasked guys - they just walk in, Lime Bike outside at the ready, grab what they want and off they go. Nothing to do with mask and niqabs

Have you ever seen a woman in a niqab shop lift? I expect not, but you want to throw that in the mix

I’ve already said this is about face coverings not hair/ head coverings.

@Cyclebabble "but it is a matter of choice. Although only a small number of muslims where a full face covering, the purpose in any ban would be to make their lives less comfortable and to send a message that Muslims are not welcome."

Disagree. Many Muslim women don't have a choice and wearing the niqab is entirely cultural, not religious. Banning face coverings wouldn't be anti Muslim. This isn't a proposal to ban the hijab, jibab or abaya and surely that is sufficient for modesty and a declaration of one's faith. Nobody is proposing compulsory mini skirts or hot pants. Women should never feel uncomfortable about showing their faces in public.

I didn't 👍

And you get to choose who is a regressive Muslim I suppose? Basically a message to make Muslim lives uncomfortable.

Yes - for the reasons stated above.
The vast majority of Muslims do not wear face covering/ it is not a religious requirement.

I do not think it helps to imply that criticism of the choice of a very small number of Muslims is criticism of Islam as a whole .

Your reply makes no sense to my post - did you mean it for someone else?

Not all Muslims wear a niqab. Only a very small minority who choose to do so ( it is not a requirement)

I think in future they may well be banned in certain circumstances, if they aren't already, because they interfere with the operation of face-recognition software in the fight against crime.