“It will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic.”
Following a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in which the two disagreed on the issue, French President Nicolas Sarkozy made a major policy speech condemning the covering. “The burka is not a sign of religion, it is a sign of subservience,” this male, non-Muslim expert stated on Monday, adding that it deprives women of identity and acts as a prison.
In 2004, France made a controversial decision to ban headscarves in public schools. Sarkozy has evidently watched a few too many Hollywood terrorist propaganda movies, he himself denying the identity of the Muslim women who choose to wear it. As a burqa-wearing thread contributor on Salon.com points out “I’m also happy to have non-Muslim friends who don’t try to take my agency away by assuming I must be brainwashed.” And she is only one of many Muslim women speaking out against anti-head covering sentiments.
Since when is spinning spiritually significant clothing as evil considered to be progressive? Oh right, like when Sikh turbans were banned from Canadian Mounted Forces until 1990. Canada being one of the most progressive countries, naturally.
Many try to play off the call to ‘ban religious symbols’ in the name of secularism. Yet, it is usually muslim women who wear head or body coverings that are the first targeted. On behalf of Islamaphobia and sexism — ahem — secularism, naturally.
