Jack Straw recently stirred up some controversy and either helped or hurt (depending who you ask) his chances at becoming the deputy leader of the Labour party by commenting, unfavourably, on Muslim women who were the niqab.
Mr. Straw contends that women who wear the full veil inhibit communication and deliberately isolate themselves from others. I don't believe I entirely agree or disagree with him.
Those women who chose to wear the niqab (or the hijab, the chador or other variants) because they believe it is necessary either from a religious or a cultural point of view should not feel that they have to do otherwise so long as they do so freely and not under duress. There are certainly families (and countries) where undue pressure is put on women to dress in a specific way. Women in this situation must be made to feel free to follow their own conscience in this matter.
It is true that women who wear the traditional dress in public seem to be saying I do not wish to integrate into your society. Perhaps they do not. We also get this same message, without the fuss, from other religious groups; orthodox Jews, the Amish and the Shakers and some Buddhist and Muslim sects who chose to dress or groom themselves according to their religion. All of these groups, when living in the Western world have chosen not to fully adapt to that society. If we are to criticise Islamic women for their choices, freely taken, then that criticism must be extended to all groups who make these choices.
Mr. Straw contends that women who wear the full veil inhibit communication and deliberately isolate themselves from others. I don't believe I entirely agree or disagree with him.
Those women who chose to wear the niqab (or the hijab, the chador or other variants) because they believe it is necessary either from a religious or a cultural point of view should not feel that they have to do otherwise so long as they do so freely and not under duress. There are certainly families (and countries) where undue pressure is put on women to dress in a specific way. Women in this situation must be made to feel free to follow their own conscience in this matter.
It is true that women who wear the traditional dress in public seem to be saying I do not wish to integrate into your society. Perhaps they do not. We also get this same message, without the fuss, from other religious groups; orthodox Jews, the Amish and the Shakers and some Buddhist and Muslim sects who chose to dress or groom themselves according to their religion. All of these groups, when living in the Western world have chosen not to fully adapt to that society. If we are to criticise Islamic women for their choices, freely taken, then that criticism must be extended to all groups who make these choices.
No comments:
Post a Comment