Let be clear, what is it we are trying to ban. There are many types of Islamic dress for women not all of the as encompassing as the Burka. The Burka grabs the headlines as it the one which covers the most and adds a air of mystery and unknown. And people fear the unknown.
Are we looking to ban the burka because it is a symbol of a religion or because it is a symbol of the oppression of women?
If a woman chooses to wear Islamic dress and that is her own personal choice, then how is that oppression?
The state should not interfere in such matters and history has shown that once laws are introduced to target religions or aspects of those religions it can have severe consequences and be misused by those in power.
Look what happened in France, where police enforcing local laws forced a woman to remove her Burqini in public on the beach. Based on the photos I saw this caused her distress. How can this be right?
We had another example in France where a girl was sent home for wearing a long skirt which was considered symbol of religion by her teachers.
The Quran itself is not prescriptive on what to wear for women (except for righteousness and modesty to be followed) and most of what are perceived to be Islamic rules regarding women dress have been a result of interpretation of Hadith (the sayings of the Holy Prophet, Peace and Blessing be upon him)
There are various interpretations on wearing the burka amongst the scholars of Islam on how much of the face should be covered and they are just that; a person’s interpretation. Ultimately the person making the choice should be aware of the facts/regulations/guidance themselves and make up their own mind.
I fear that if we ban the burka and other religious symbols we run the risk of creating a divide and driving our young people into the arms of religious extremists whose main message is that “come join us, you are one of us, not those who seek to discriminate against you“
Once laws are introduced, especially those not thought through properly or with a scope open to wide interpretation they are open to misuse. Close to home we have the use of anti-terrorism laws to check if children live within a school catchment area.
My late mother who worked extremely hard all her life, used to say, the Islamic guidelines on Hijab is not a disgrace or a hindrance for a woman in any way. On the contrary, it honours her and frees her from the obstacles that prevent her moral and spiritual advancement.
For me I see the Muslim dress as a step on the road to equality as it frees us to focus on what a person says and does as opposed to what they look like.
Not only is a religious clothing ban likely to violate our fundamental right of choice it can also prevent those affected from moving comfortably in Western society and bringing us all closer together
Remember the real barriers to integration are unemployment and poverty NOT clothing.