Women arrested for wearing burqas in France... what do you think?

[steamedtreaclesponge]

Here

I'm not really sure what I think about all this. On the one hand the veil is used as a tool of oppression in many countries, and I'm generally against it on the grounds that if men can't control their lust at seeing women's faces, they should stay inside, rather than making women cover up.

But then, it doesn't sit right with me that women who wear it out of choice are being arrested. Or is it comparable to the choice to become a stripper, in that it may be an OK and not-so-harmful choice to make for the person doing it, but is something that harms other women by encouraging anti-feminist or mysogynistic attitudes?

I'd welcome some more informed views on this...

"I understand that a woman in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia has few rights when compared to a man's rights. This is part of being a muslim, is how I understand it. "

That is not part of being Muslim. Those two are some of the direst, most backward places to live in the world and have serious human rights problems, regardless of your religion. There are many countries with Muslim majorities who are not oppressive dictatorships or oppressive monarchies espousing Wahhabism.

For example, Pakistan's punishment for adultery is death by stoning (for both woman and man), but it elected a female prime minister (Benazir Bhutto) in late 1980s to lead the entire country, so "no rights if you're a woman and that's part of being muslim" is quite wrong, even in a dismal place like Pakistan.

So because I have differing views from you, that gives you the right for personal attack and nasty lies? (methinks that may be libellous)

NormanTebbit - I agree with you about the mini skirt and boob tube. Those clothes do not hide your identity. And arguably, the opposite of total covering up would be complete nudity. I have no problem with saying that both extremes should be banned, rather than just banning one extreme (nudity) which is the current UK approach.

Stewiegriffinsmum That is a LIE. I have never done that. I don't know why you are smearing me with your vicious, nasty lies, nor why you feel the need to follow me onto threads to tell people to ignore me.

I find your posts about me offensive so I trust you are happy now and will enjoy your Easter.

I also hope someone does the same thing to you one day...... you know what they say.... what goes around comes around.

Just a random comment -re the apparent sense of ''freedom'' that some muslim women quote as the reason they wear the burqa / mentioned by someone earlier saying some teens ''no ones seeing mine'' etc.

This is not a healthy sense of freedom based on self confidence and the ability to interact with men on a equal basis but an almost alien, dehumanised experience. I wore a burqa for a day as part of a sociology project and yes was very free from ''Male attention'' but to be honest from almost any attention except stares -I was ignored in shops and pushed passed at the us stop -by two women I might add. Nobody male or female interacted with me spontaneously. Worse than the day I spent in a wheelchair.