So banning the Burka - freeing women from opression or taking away free choice...?

[Portoeufino]

I read that in Belgium there is a draft bill to ban burkas and also the niqab.

As they put it " There is nothing in Islam or the Koran about the burka. It has become an institution of intimidation and is a sign of submission of women. A civilized society cannot accept the imprisonment of women."

They then talk of "matters of public safety" - is that implying that if you wear a burka is it therefore likely you might have it stuffed with explosives? Or if you cover your face, then there are security issues connected with that?

I have to admit I am very ignorant about all this. DO women only wear this clothing because they are opressed? Do they choose to? What happens if it is banned? Are women freed, or will they end up forbidden from leaving the house?

I am very interested to learn and understand more about this.

nighbynight, everyone in society DOESN'T think and dress the same way. I don't go out dressed in skimpy, provocative clothes. Never did. Your suggestion that women wear burkas to somehow counteract those that do seems ridiculous. Sorry!

As Puss put it, some muslim women WANT to cover their faces. Their interpretation of their religious teaching is that this is what they SHOULD do. If that is their choice that is fine with me.

porto, i dont know a single woman who wears a burkha and it isnt her choice to wear it. sometimes the choice is necessary because of the prevalent culture, analogous to wearing a coat in winter in england. you have the choice not to wear it, but it will make your life unecessarily difficult if you dont.

as for riding a bike, i have never worn nikaab, but an abaya, as the garment is called in some parts of the middle east, has never stopped me from riding my bike. i dont know anyone who learnt how to ride their bikes whilst wearing one, as they all learned whilst under ten, so no nikaab, but i suppose you could say that it is difficult to learn how ride a bike whilst wearing nikaab.

i know a lot of women who wear full nikaab, and not one who suffers from vitamin d defficiency. they are lucky enough not to get sunbunt, or even tanned, but no defficiencies.

Dittany i was just trying to gauge whether you opinion was based on actual experience or assumptions obviously as i don't know you/your background/career etc (could be an undercover journalist like Yvonne Ridley for all i know) and i wouldnt want to judge your opinion without knowing its basis.

But as you aked i disagree with:

It erases women as individuals and marks us out as less free and inferior to men, who generally ensure that their clothes are comfortable and give them freedom of movement.

It's inhumane

Personally i feel that it is wrong and 'inhuman' to force people to dress in a way that accomodates you with total disregard for their personal feelings (whether that be forcing them to/to not wear a burkha or anything else)

dittany, all those things are possible. just because you wear a bukha, or nikaab, doesnt mean youcant do them.

dittany, I wish Riven was awake to comment on the muslim women not working......

i don't wear niqab because i will upset my family, (we're English)and i won't be able to go to visit them wearing it, cos i already get funny looks now from wearing headscarf.

otherwise i'd wear it and wouldn't feel oppressed, because it would be my choice and for a religious reason.

no it doesnt dittany. that is exactly what i am trying to explain to you. it doesnt make it any more difficult

i find the mini skirt far more of a symbol of oppression than any other attire. sky high heels come next. followed by fake boobs.

on another thread, someone spoke about erosion of civil liberties because of the need for carrying an id card. being told you cant wear an item of clothing you want to, is more of an erosion.

what are you talking about i know being a houswife is work!

i'm saying we don't have to go out all day to work to provide for our families, that is mens responsibility

farmer jones- and how exactlu would you know whether or not thay are vitamin d defficient? It's not necessarily apparent to all, you know. If a woman's akin is never exposed to sun, you can bet she is not getting all the vitamin d she is supposed to get.

umayma- ok, so burkhas aren't practical for men who work. But they could still be covering their faces?
In many countries, where women are allowed to work, they do wear burkhas or similar restrictive clothing because they have to.
So your arguement is pretty weak.

eh? This is a post in the FEMINIST section!

*exactly and they

no i meant the majority don't have to go out to work.

of course muslim women work and if they work outside the home then they are going to come in contact with men so they would cover up. if they were in a women only work environment they wouldn't have to cover up so much.

night night, i hope more people read Qur'an sometime to get a better understanding

Women don't have to wear mini skirts and high heels though. It is not a fair analogy.

umayma, do women have to cover up when they are with other women? Or only when in general company?

no they just cover in front of men they're not related to (anyone they could marry)

Well, umayma, that is the point- why the women have to cover up and men don't? Even if we talk only about women who work professionally- why do they have to perform their tasks in a restrictive garment, while men don't?

Sorry, but were you going to answer my question dittany? I dont want to be irritating i just keep refreshing this page to check

Oh i also disagree that:

Headcovering is a symbol of male ownership

Do you think that applies to men who cover their heads or just women?

the majority of tasks for muslim housewives would be inside the home where they don't cover at all.

women who work in a profession alongside men will cover because Allah tells them in Qur'an to cover up in front of men they aren't related to.