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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how many times you have seen anyone wearing a niqab (full face veil revealing eyes) or burqa (full face veil with mesh cover for eyes)?

305 replies

Jane379 · 20/05/2026 17:18

I've seen recent talk on UK Reddit about banning them, and I think we should, for several reasons, but I also think in some ways banning is easy but actually integrating people leading a very conservative Muslim lifestyle is much harder, and should be the main discussion.
European countries that have banned found not many women wore them. What about here? Some estimates say 1%-2% of Muslim women, but we don't really know.

I live in S London in an area with quite a few Muslims and have only seen about 10 niqab wearers in my life. Most in more central areas. I've never seen anyone wearing a burqa.

How typical is this?

OP posts:
DrunkenKoala · 23/05/2026 11:36

I’m in North Kent and up until recently I very rarely saw anyone wearing a niqab, (lots of hijab) but this last year or so I’m definitely seeing it more - few mums on the school run.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone wearing a burqa.

Original poster
Jane379 · Yesterday 22:56

DoreenDoors · 22/05/2026 19:09

I also had a memory of my time in the Middle East and seeing niqabis 'interacting' with their babies and toddlers. I observed many occasions where there was a clear barrier between mother and child. Obviously the mother reveals her face at home but studies show that young children read their mother's face carefully anf it has an impact on development when they don't get any feedback (see the 'still face experiment'). This was another reason why I dislike it.

Sorry for the gap replying..this is another crucial point.

It's obviously a difficult and sensitive topic to study but the question should be asked as to whether this impacts child development at least sometimes.

I wonder if there have been any studies...

OP posts:
Original poster
Jane379 · Yesterday 22:57

CharlotteStreetW1 · 23/05/2026 09:16

We were staying in a hotel in Slovenia and there was a large family group of Muslims with the women in full burgas (apparently they went every year).

I was curious as to how they ate. One morning the "lead" couple were having breakfast on the terrace. The lady was facing away and had removed her face covering. This was clear because she was sitting next to a reflective wall. It must be difficult navigating stuff like that.

Definitely.

OP posts:
Thechaseison71 · Yesterday 22:57

InfoSecInTheCity · 20/05/2026 17:22

I live in a city in the Midlands, so everyday I see multiple women wearing full Niqab or burka some with gloves too to ensure every mm of skin is covered. We are a very diverse city with a high population of Muslim residents and visitors.

Doesn't sound diverse. Surely diverse is when there's a good mix of people

ProudPearl · Today 00:46

I live in Birmingham and see both daily. Much less when I was growing up. The Muslim girls I was friends with in secondary school never covered their hair, their mothers may have but it was often a loose scarf, no drama if their hair was poking out at the front.

The ones my age now wear hijabs, their primary school aged daughters wear hijabs, their mothers are usually in niqabs. The Muslim community round here has become much more conservative as time has gone on.

I'm torn about a ban. I'd like to ban all face coverings for security reasons. I'd like to ban all tools of oppression. So that's two reasons in favour of a ban.

But then, I don't want even more people telling women what to wear. And also I don't like the unintended consequences, such as oppressed women becoming more isolated as they are not allowed to leave the house.

It's a complicated issue. There's no simple answer.

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