Can someone explain Islamophobia to me?

[BaMamma]

I don't think I have an irrational fear of Muslims, but I think I have a reasonable concern about radical Islam, does that make me Islamophobic?

Many shops require bikers to remove their helmets. Are they allowed to do the same of a Muslim woman in a full face covering?

And I am entitled to say that I do not think British children should have to be subjected to a woman being obliged to cover her entire face or body.

No woman chooses to do that.

It’s pointing out hypocrisy. If we legislate women must have their hair uncovered, and no long sleeved long dresses, then we are no better than Iran that legislates the opposite. Both approaches are men using law to impose control over the autonomy of women.

Some women do choose to wear these items of clothing, just like some women choose wear very little.

Not all women dressed modestly are being controlled by men, just like not all women dressed revealing are being controlled by men.

No one is talking about legislating are they? The OP is just saying she doesn’t think head coverings are a good thing. Personally I think a hijab doesn’t affect other people so I can’t find anything to object to from a societal pov, but a niqab is clearly ‘anti-social’.

In France, public displays of religion are restricted which I personally disagree with but respect as a world-view.

And I am entitled to say that I do not think British children should have to be subjected to a woman being obliged to cover her entire face or body.

How does it harm them to see women dressed differently? Do you feel the same about nuns? Or monks/priests (men who wear long dresses)?

How can we know who's under there? Would it be acceptable for me to go around with a balaclava on, or a full-face mask? If not, why not?

Her words were stronger
I've said I object to niqabs and burqa in public spaces for reasons related to public safety and female emancipation.

Sounds like she would like them to be banned in public spaces, which would require a law.

but a niqab is clearly ‘anti-social’.
Nice, that’s also islamaphobic applying the language of criminality- ASBO to wearing an article of clothing. And why is it always women’s clothing that is the centre of attention? Because we are such a threat to public safety aren’t we?

But it's not racism at all! Anyone of any race can become a Muslim, so how can it be racist to object to aspects of Islam that I think are at odds with, for example, feminism?

Actually yes, there have been numerous incidents when Burqas have been a threat to public safety. See suicide bombers for one

Interesting that some women choose to wear an inconvenient item of clothing yet no men do.

If you’re on the ski slopes or your snow mobile sure it is.
If you’re working in a hospital, mask up all you want to.
Of you’re in the military and deployed, can do it then too.

I just wouldn’t do it as a MAN entering a BANK.

LOUDER FOR THOSE IN THE BACK - NO-ONE IS OBJECTING TO HAIR COVERING OR MODEST DRESS - SOME PEOPLE OBJECT TO FULL FACE AND BODY COVERING FOR WOMEN.

No one exists in a vacuum. Not everything a woman does is feminist. Islam is an abrahamic faith, it is by definition patriarchal.

Quite, high heels are incredibly inconvenient not to mention uncomfortable and cause painful foot damage.

It’s a false equivalence. Nobody is saying women must wear their hair long etc etc.

a Muslim woman cannot choose not to wear a head covering can she? It’s not really a choice. Them choosing to wear it is a little like a bond forming between captor and captive. It is not free will.

Sorry I meant that it’s analogous to racism. It clearly isn’t racism because as you say, a person of any ethnicity can be a Muslim.

Yes, you can apply that mysterious logic to all our western clothing too then.
What is not feminist is applauding old men controlling what women can or cannot wear.

I suspect that someday in the future people will view high heels, those 6-inch monstrosities, in the same way we now view foot binding.

I already do.

I object to the coercive control of women to wear any item of head gear or risk beatings, imprisonment or worse actually. If they had free choice, fine, but they don’t. Look at Iran. It’s not like wearing a hat FGS

You’re not making any sense at all.

Yes, of course western dress doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and is these days very much influenced by things like online porn. I absolutely critique this - own no-one called me anything-phobic for doing so.

You’re just putting words in her mouth but even if she did want to legislate it’s still not Islamophobic as long as the legislation applies to all full-face coverings or all religious garments.

I don’t mean in the asbo sense of anti-social 😂I mean in the sense that hiding your face is literally anti-social.

Any extreme religions tend to be bad, think Pagans vs Christians, Witch trials, Crusades, persecution of Jews, Catholics vs Protestants, Hindus vs Muslims, etc, etc. Keep things in moderation particularly religion. And practise toleration.

Millions of Muslim women do not wear a hijab, niqab or burka.
Many go without covering their hair, it is not a universal requirement of all Muslim women.

Hair covering is a common theme in a lot of religious groups, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim. As far as I'm aware it's only certain Islamic groups that demand women be fully covered, and is some countries, also silent.

I'm not aware of any other religious groups who make such demands on women currently.