The French Senate on March 30 voted in favor of a legislation that, if passed, would ban Muslim girls from wearing hijabs in public. The legislation might also prohibit Muslim women from wearing burkinis, or full-coverage swimsuits, in public pools, and ban hijab-wearing mothers from going on school trips with their children.
Note: A hijab is a headscarf that only covers the head, while a burqa acts as a veil, covering the entire face.
France already has a ban on face coverings in public - including the burqa, passed in 2010. France was the first European country to impose a ban on full-face veils in public areas. The country also bans the ‘wearing of all visible religious symbols in public’- it is not allowed to even wear a cross around your neck.
Bulgaria, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, and most recently, Switzerland (Mar 2021) are some other European countries that have banned face-covering veils.
Author’s opinion
President Emmanuel Macron had previously voiced his belief that the hijab was not in accordance with French ideals, and a ban on face coverings would empower women.
First- France is a secular country so this statement is directly conflicting with the ‘true’ ideals of France set by its Constitution. It even directly violates the right to freedom of the citizens.
Second- It is high time we stop equating religious beliefs and practices with oppression, and so-called modernism with empowerment.
Empowerment comes from the option to choose. Empowerment comes from freedom.
A woman might feel empowered without a burqa, or she might be empowered when she wears one. It all comes down to choice, and having the social and legal option to exercise that choice. ‘Let her wear what she wants’ can not only apply to jeans/skirts/shorts.
What else can be done?
While it is true that a lot of girls are forced to wear a burqa because of pressure from their families, and this is actually a problem that needs to be solved, is this the best way to do that?
How about appointing counselors (with the same religious backgrounds, or at least with experience/education in religion) in schools to speak to the girls and their families? How about awareness campaigns targeted at parents? How about providing platforms where people can discuss and grow and find their voices? How about more inclusive workplace laws so women don’t have to compromise between their religions and career growth?
Other problems with the ban
This law could actually be counterproductive and cause the confinement of women and girls to their homes, impeding access to public services and marginalizing them, as observed by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Imagine the typical extremist patriarchal family that the ban is actually trying to target- would they throw their religious beliefs out of the window? Would they suddenly be okay with sending their children to public pools in swimwear? Or would they force them to stop extracurricular activities altogether?
Like what you read? Share this article with your friends and follow us on:
Instagram| Medium| Facebook