Anne Applebaum’s "Veiled Insult" first appeared in the Washington Post in 2006. In this essay, Applebaum aims to convince her readers that it is disrespectful for Muslim women to wear their headscarves or niqabs (full bodied cloak) in our western society, just as it is disrespectful for our women to go to their society uncloaked. In delivering her message she also brings to attention the political issue of whether or not it is religious discrimination to allow, or not allow muslim women to wear their cloaks, and in the end she gives us her opinion, “it isn’t religious discrimination or anti-Muslim bias to tell her that she must be polite to the natives, respect the local customs, try to speak some of the local patois -- and uncover her face.” Applebaum uses her personal experiences combined with her American worldview to convince her readers (the American public) that for Muslim women to wear their cloaks in American culture is disrespectful and insensitive. Although those techniques may have worked, her strongest argument is perhaps playing on the emotions of the still sensitive and emotionally scarred, post 9/11…
I think we can all agree, shirtless, old men in short-shorts are not a pretty sight. Hairy thighs and sweaty beer bellies—it’s practically blinding. I’d rather they all wear burkas. Burkas might have originated from oppressing roots, but they do promote modesty. It’s a universal fact: old, shirtless men could use some modesty. Don’t you agree? In a similar fashion, Diana Wagman uses popular opinion and cleverly chosen words to prove her points in her article, “First They’ll Come for the Burkas.” Wagman laces her article with relatable words and phrases—“Every summer when the temperature goes up, people start stripping down… Toddlers look cute in just a pair of shorts. Middle-aged men…
The topic of this essay concerns the current proposed law in Quebec regarding the ban on people wearing and displaying religious symbols in government, publicly funded institutions and places of work by the people employed at said places. The Provence of Quebec, governed at this time by the Parti Quebecois, has put forth Bill 60, named the Quebec Charter of Values. Essentially Bill 60 will restrict the wearing or displaying of all religious symbols by people who are attending school or working in the public sector. For example, if a Muslim nurse wearing a hijab was employed at a hospital in the province, she would be required to take off her hijab and any other visible religious symbols before she entered the hospital to start her shift. The bill would apply to judges, police, prosecutors, public daycare workers, teachers, school employees, hospital workers and municipal personnel. The government of Quebec states that; “The purpose of this bill is to establish a Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and of equality between women and men, and providing a framework for…
You should be able to wear what you want, and what you feel most comfortable in. Dorsa was removed from an important national team just because she didn’t want to wear a piece of clothing meant to reflect one's personal devotion to god. Other girls who posted a YouTube video of themselves singing and dancing without hijabs were arrested and sentenced to a year in prison. It's not right that people will get kicked off teams and arrested for such little things like not wearing a piece of clothing on your head. Why can't she choose…
The article Judging by the Cover by Bonny Gainley explains that no one should be discriminated on how the individual dresses and whatever messages it portrays to the public or in the workplace. Gainley stated “that no organization should try to change or accommodate the employee because he/she is unwilling to abide in the standards, unless when the standards are legal”.…
Other types of head coverings that are the most recognizable include the niqab and the burqa. Both of these coverings completely conceal the hair and portions of the face but are slightly different. The burqa is recognized as a symbol of Islam around the world and wrongly associated with fundamentalist Muslim governments. A burqa is a garment that covers the body, head, and face. The wearer is able to see through a mesh panel in front of the face, but the fabric is thick enough that outside viewers cannot see the wearer’s face. The niqab is similar to the burqa because it conceals the head and body, but instead of a mesh panel in front of the face, there is a small slit that reveals the wearer’s eyes while the rest of the face is hidden by another piece of fabric. Although burqas have been required by some past extremist governments, they should not continue to be symbols of negativity for Muslim women. In order for the negative stereotypes involving Muslim head coverings to disappear, French society must understand that all Muslims do not represent terror groups or the fundamentalist side of the…
The role of the Burqa is to conceal women’s bodies and/or face says Chris Moore whom wrote The Buirqa – Islamic or Culture?. Islamic men believe that women should wear the burqa as a sign of respect and loyalty to the family but where did they get this idea? Moore says many people would think it is Islamic religion but you can’t really say that and be completely accurate. The reason being is because of these facts Moore states he says that is you read the Quran ( the Muslim Bible) it doesn’t gives that as one of the laws that women specifically have to follow. Rather it says that both men and women should follow a dress code but does in fact say that women have to cover their chest, lengthen their garments to conceal their body as respect for themselves and for both men and women should wear the most important garment of all which is righteousness and modest conduct. Nowhere does it mention or require women to wear such garments as a burqa I feel that Quran just wants women in Muslim community to carry themselves in a respectable manner in society. With the information I got from the passage is that the only reason women have to wear the burqa is because men want to feel as if they have power and control over the women in their society I also feel that women should stand up for each other and make a change to stop this in their culture.…
As we all know, Burqa is a loose, usually black or light blue robe that is worn by Muslim women, especially in Afghanistan, and that covers the body from head to toe. The burqa is not force by the Islamic holy bible, Koran. It only say that, women and men have to wear modestly in the public. Women, especially, cannot show their body to a man, other than their husband. This is written in the Koran. In Qur'an Sura Nur Chapter: The Light. Verse 31, "And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands.…
For one, the French government claims the ban is not directed towards Muslim women but rather anyone who covers his or her face when it isn’t needed. For example, it is also against the law for someone to wear a helmet when not on a motorcycle. Those against the ban believe that claim is used as an excuse to specifically target Muslim women because of the fear of Islam, otherwise known as Islamophobia. While others make the claim that the ban is not to directly target Muslim women but rather allows for the communities in France to all fit in as one…
Banning Full-Face Veils would not only make Muslim women feel vulnerable to men as a sexual desire, it would also make them feel betrayed by the country or state they live in. Being told what to wear is like being told what to eat or who to hang out with, it is unjust. Muslim women should be able to dress how they would like without being judged or assaulted by anyone. The veil helps assure the women that they are not being looked at as a desire and in a way, wearing the veil helps make them feel closer to God. Enforcing laws against Full-Face Veils would be amiss because it would be stripping them of freedom of expression and religion.…
Recently in the province of Quebec City, Canada, the Charter of Quebec Values was introduced to the public making the area completely secular. Even more recently, the charter was rebranded as “Charter Affirming the Values of Secularism and the Religious Neutrality of the State, As Well As the Equality of Men and Women, and the Framing of Accommodation Requests”, the sole reason simply being that “Bernard Drainville, the governing Parti Quebecois minister responsible for the proposal, said the mouthful of a name was selected by government lawyers, adding they like long names that encompass the major details in the title.” This measure would ban all overt and conspicuous headgear worn by public sector employees, including hijabs, yarmulkes and Sikh turbans. This ban also includes wearing large crucifixes and other obvious religious wear. This will affect people all over the province who openly displayed their religious perspectives.…
In 2010, the controversial Bill 94 was introduced in Quebec. The bill would prohibit women wearing the niqab from accessing any public service and would allow them to be denied access to schools, non-emergency healthcare, daycare facilities, courtrooms and more. Furthermore, government employees would be banned from wearing the niqab to work. The Quebec government is petitioning to ban the niqab because they claim it is a symbol of oppression, that women only wear if forced by a male, and that their needs to be a law to protect women from being oppressed by male relatives. However, many women who choose to wear the niqab who have spoken to the media that what they wear was in fact their choice, (Reynolds, 2010). While only approximately 100…
This initially sparked controversy when there was a flurry of reaction to Stephen Harper's remarks on Twitter. The most popular Islamic clothing is a hijab that covers the head-and-shoulders; piece of cloth that covers the face, and the niqab that covers the entire face with the exception of few countries like Saudi Arabia where it is the law to wear the niqab. However, it is entirely up to Muslim women whether they choose to wear it or not. This situation is best described according to Isaiah Berlin’s “two concepts of liberty” (Swift 2014, 58-60).…
Women have been faced with many challenges throughout history. A major example of this would be the fight for women’s rights and equality. Women worked and worked to attempt to gain equality with men and eventually triumphed. However, another challenge that women had to face was oppressive clothing and fashion. The corset, the practice of foot binding, and hijabs were all massive parts of oppressive fashion. Each served a specific purpose, but hindered women at the same time.…
They believe that it is seen as disrespectful, as one is expected to wear formal clothing when making decisions that pose an impact on the state, its citizens, as well as delegating with other member states on issues that concern foreign affairs. If the EFF are made to conform to a more formal dress code, this in essence could result in the unlawful limitation of their right to freedom of expression F. In order for the limitation of the EFF’s rights to be justifiable and equitable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom, the limitation clause F must be…