The Pros And Cons Of Banning The Burqa
For many years opinions on full face and body covering veils have been a hot topic of controversy. With the banning of Burqas in full force in countries such as France, Belgium and the Netherlands a focus of discussion in Australia has been front and centre: to ban or not to ban the Burqa? (Shorten, 2014)
There is no doubt that such veils as the Burqa, which covers the full face including a mesh panel to cover the eyes, and the Niqab, which allows the eyes to be visible, can seem confronting. Seeing somebody in the street walk to towards you covered head to toe in black cloth, unable to meet their eyes with yours, does create a feeling of unease. I myself have felt this discomfort.
However, in saying this, how can I, or anybody else propose that in a country that promotes cultural diversity and acceptance stand by a ban which does exactly the opposite of promoting multiculturalism?
To some people the Burqa is a symbol of the oppression of women and a statement of the domination of men. Perfectly stated by Dr Raihan Ismail, who is a Muslim and wears the Hijab, women are only oppressed by wearing the Burqa if they are being …show more content…
Jacques states that freedom of choice is not an acceptable means to abolish the ban, “is the individual choice enough to permit such practice?” (Insight, 2010). Personally, I believe that this reason alone is enough to allow women to wear Burqa’s and whatever clothing they wish, for that matter. Freedom of choice is one of the universal human rights, more specifically “the right to freedom of opinion and expression” and “to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” (United Nations, 1948). These are key values that need to be respected worldwide. Banning the Burqa and Niqab completely takes away a women’s right to interpret her religion and beliefs how she
There is no doubt that such veils as the Burqa, which covers the full face including a mesh panel to cover the eyes, and the Niqab, which allows the eyes to be visible, can seem confronting. Seeing somebody in the street walk to towards you covered head to toe in black cloth, unable to meet their eyes with yours, does create a feeling of unease. I myself have felt this discomfort.
However, in saying this, how can I, or anybody else propose that in a country that promotes cultural diversity and acceptance stand by a ban which does exactly the opposite of promoting multiculturalism?
To some people the Burqa is a symbol of the oppression of women and a statement of the domination of men. Perfectly stated by Dr Raihan Ismail, who is a Muslim and wears the Hijab, women are only oppressed by wearing the Burqa if they are being …show more content…
Jacques states that freedom of choice is not an acceptable means to abolish the ban, “is the individual choice enough to permit such practice?” (Insight, 2010). Personally, I believe that this reason alone is enough to allow women to wear Burqa’s and whatever clothing they wish, for that matter. Freedom of choice is one of the universal human rights, more specifically “the right to freedom of opinion and expression” and “to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” (United Nations, 1948). These are key values that need to be respected worldwide. Banning the Burqa and Niqab completely takes away a women’s right to interpret her religion and beliefs how she