A note of controversy
I've been reading in several papers lately (especially in 'Letters to the Editor') about different views of muslim women wearing the burqa. A few worries about how ubiquitous is the sight here in London.
Not having much better to do on the bus I've been thinking about this, and here are my thoughts:
I have no problem at all with people wearing any kind of clothing in public, although I'd usually frown upon something displaying expletives in large letters (not because I'm at all offended by swearing, but I'm aware that other people are).
However, the covering of the face disturbs me somewhat. It would seem to me that there are three reasons for hiding one's face, and all of them are based upon fear. In no particular order these reasons are:
a) You are up to no good, and are afraid of getting caught. It is for this reason that you aren't allowed to wear crash-helmets in banks.
b) Your family/friends/immediate society demands it and you are afraid of their reaction. This is the reason that has prompted most of the pieces I've seen in the press, though most muslim women I know would say that such familial or societal insistence is pretty rare.
c) You are afraid that revealing your face will invite violence, almost certainly sexual violence. To me this indicates i) you have a stunningly high opinion of your own appearance, or ii) you have the view that men in general cannot control themselves when in the company of an attractive woman. As a man, I find the latter point of view to be extremely offensive.
d) You wear this outfit because you are afraid to displease God. This final point seems to me to be completely understandable. I wouldn't want to displease any god sadistic enough to wish his people to wear head-to-toe black in 35 degree temperatures.
So those are my thoughts. If I'm correct in the above assertions it would seem to me that the full burqa is unnecesary and inappropriate (barring the final one, but as an atheist I can't really relate). To be clear, I maintain that anyone can wear whatever they choose, but, as with the expletives, the rest of us don't have to approve of that choice.
Am I looking at this wrong? Comments appreciated.
posted by corin @ 5:29 pm
3 Comments:
Pretty reasonable comments, it seems to me.
I'm not an atheist and I can't relate.
All a sadist needs is a masochist?
Changing the subject, rudely - hope Edinburgh is lots of fun.
Seems reasonable to me. But... you say you don't like clothing covered in expletives, not because you have any problem with expletives, but because you know they upset other people.
The burqa exists because some people are upset by women exposing their legs, arms, hair etc to the public gaze. We must accept that some people experience a feeling of disquiet at the sight of plunging necklines and protruding thongs, and others don't like t-shirts with "FUCK OFF" on them.
However, do these same people understand that you or I experience similar unease at the sight of a burqa? It all boils down to whether "It offends me" is a good enough reason to ban something.
It's way too late and I've spent the day assembling Ikea wardrobes so have nothing useful to say on any sort of meaningful debate.
BUT...
Just wanted to say - have a fab time in Edinburgh. Hopefully the weather'll be better when you get here, and they'll have stopped digging up the High St. We can but hope.
Let me know what/when you're doing and I'll see if I can pop along (that is, if the Pleasance see fit to give me ANY time off from being a member of their staff... which ain't looking too promising)...
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