Is France's Burqa Ban Justified?

Let me discuss France before I go onto the burqa. I’m aware that the French have strong traditions of secularism, and that’s why their government would give serious thought to a ban on the burqa and ours would not. Education is completely secular in France. You’re not allowed to show any symbols of faith. That means no hijab, no crucifixes, no turbans etc. And French children also aren’t taught RE unless they go to faith schools, which are independent from the state. I have a French friend whom I remember discussing Easter with a year ago. I asked if he was giving up anything for Lent and he replied, "C'est quoi, le Carême?" What's Lent?

Now, I don’t agree with the religious indoctrination of children, but I do think they ought to be taught about religion. Like it or not, it plays a very prominent role in the world today and we must have some understanding of it. That said, I was dissatisfied with the way religion was represented in my RE lessons, but that’s a different matter for a different post.

So, how do I feel about the burqa? Well, I never feel threatened by it, although it would be possible for nefarious persons, Islamist or not, to conceal themselves beneath it. What I do feel, though, is that it’s a statement of separation. It draws the line between manifestation of faith and reluctance to integrate. How can I communicate with you on a personal level if you won’t even show me your face?

I’ve heard some Muslim women say that they feel the burqa protects them from judgement on the basis of their appearance. But it doesn’t make you invisible. In fact, it can make you stand out, in a way. You still have an appearance, even when you’re swathed in black, and it’s an appearance I view with puzzlement and uncertainty. I find myself wondering, “What have you got to conceal?”

I appreciate that no woman wants to be viewed as a slab of meat. But I think it’s easy enough to dress modestly without having to veil yourself from head to toe. Also, it seems to me that whoever originally thought of the burqa wanted to reinforce the protection - and possession - of women by men. I remain unconvinced that you aren't wearing the legacy of oppression. Ongoing oppression, in some Islamic countries, where it is fully necessary to cover up well in order to avoid “asking for rape.” Now, if I were a man, I would be insulted by this notion because it suggests that men are animals who can’t control their sexual urges.

There’s also the argument that Muslim women in western countries are not forced to cover up; they do so out of choice. I cannot disagree that a ban limits their freedom to dress as they wish. However, there are some Muslim women, even in this country, who come from ultra-conservative families that force them to wear the burqa. And if a woman in this category violates the burqa ban in France, who will be prosecuted – the woman or her family? That’s where a ban gets tricky.

I really wouldn’t want to restrict anyone’s freedom in any way unless absolutely necessary. Smoking in public places was banned because passive smoking is harmful to others. A burqa does not harm people who look at it, but I have heard of cases of burqa-wearing women being so deficient in vitamin D, due to lack of sunlight, that they give birth to children with Rickets.

So please, if you wear a burqa, I entreat you to think of your unborn children. And of the society you live in. Many people, like me, can’t shake off the slight sense of insult that you don’t want us looking at you; that you don’t trust us. I know a burqa doesn't automatically signal that you want nothing to do with everyone else in society, but really, if you are sincere in your wish to integrate, then the best way for you to show it is by revealing your face.

Perhaps the French government, before going for a ban, should have tried to appeal to burqa-wearing women – to make them aware that they are alienating themselves and to ask them seriously to reconsider.