Oh no, not this shit again.

From the Guardian – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/03/italy-draft-law-burqa?CMP=twt_gu

Italy has drafted a law that would ban the burqa. My initial reaction, was that it is rather amusing, that Italy, with all the scandals involving Berlusconi, has decided that its most pressing problem is women who  wear the burqa or niqab. I understand why people are uncomfortable with women who wear either the burqa or niqab, whether its for ideological reasons, or for the basic reason that it is difficult to speak to someone when you cannot see their face/facial expressions/body language. However, the fact that something makes me uncomfortable does not give me the right to ban it, especially when its not harming anybody else.

I’m not going to repeat my argument about why I think this is fundamentally a step in the wrong direction for immigrant integration/minority integration into mainstream society, or women’s rights, because I’ve mentioned all of that in my entry on Belgium

What percentage of Muslim women in Italy wear either a burqa or niqab? The article states that the number is rising, and that may  very well be true, but nowhere in the article does it state a percentage, or a percentage increase, or even a number. The government has to have some idea, if they’ve decided its a significant enough problem that they need to draft a law banning the practice. The rational given is to protect women, (which I’ve mentioned before, is totally the wrong way to go about protecting women) and the proposed law state that  “third parties who forced women to cover their faces in public would be fined and face up to 12 months in jail.” This seems like a good idea, as long as the accusation of being forced comes from the woman herself, and not, say, the neighbor – who sees a woman wearing one and assumes that she is forced.

I’m disapointed in the Guardian that the only person this article quotes in opposition to the ban is an Islamic organization, as that seems to portray opposing the ban as supporting extremism, or not supporting women’s rights, despite the fact that there are legitimate. non-religiously motivated reasons to feel uncomfortable with the government legislating what people can and cannot wear.

Muslim immigrants are not new to Europe, therefore, issues around women’s covering and/or public safety are not new, but have been more ore less ignored, and women have been more or less accommodated until recently. It is my belief that this law, like the ones in France, and Belgium, seems to be motivated not by a real concern for women’s well being, or by security issues, but by xenophobia, and a fear of the “other”.  is happening to Europe? The increase in xenophobic/anti-Muslim/anti-immigrant/far right ideology & attitudes is deeply troubling.

Oops, they’ve done it again….

First France, and now Belgium has banned the full face veil.

The article I read the other day didn’t give any explanation, but I’d be willing to bet that its got something to do with “saving the poor Muslim from the oppressive menfolk!”.

I wasn’t born yesterday – I know that women have been forced to wear the burqa or niqab – but that doesn’t mean that *all* women are forced to wear it. The burqa is extremely rare in western nations, and while the niqab is more common, if Belgium is anything like France, its worn by a minority of women. While some, even in our ‘modern’ society(s?) are forced, for others, its a choice they make.

Women who choose to wear either are going to feel discriminated against, and immigrants may be less likely to integrate fully into the society, as they view the government as being hostile/pursuing discriminatory practices.  I shouldn’t need to point out that women who are coerced into wearing either the niqab or burka won’t be helped by this legislation either. A man who insists a female family member cannot leave the house unless they are fully veiled is not going to change their mind simply because it is illegal. Instead, she will be unable to leave the house.  This legislation does nothing to help women who are victims of abuse – it does not prevent the abuse, whether physical or mental/emotional, from happening – all it does is push it out of sight.

Lastly, the government legislating what you can/cannot wear for any reason other than basic safety concerns (ie, you have to wear a helmet to ride a bike) is disturbing , and in my view, violates the basic principles we value in most democratic society – the rights of the individual,  the right to freedom of expression, freedom of thought, freedom of religion – and the right to choose your own wardrobe (:P OK, being cheeky there). Telling a woman that she must wear something IS oppression, but telling a woman that it is illegal to wear something (that doesn’t harm anyone else) is ALSO oppression.