Politics of Burka and Niqab Heat Up in Canada

[ccharles000]

VANCOUVER, Canada (WOMENSENEWS)--Salma Siddiqui recalls her grandmother habitually wore a burka in her native Pakistan decades ago.

"She was of the old school and she wore it because that was the only way she saw it," Siddiqui said.

But eventually, donning the full-body, face-concealing cloak fell out of practice in that country. Like other women, Siddiqui's grandmother cast off the burka in favor of a more modern and less concealing style of dress.

Now living in Canada, Siddiqui said she has noticed a small but alarming number of women reverting to what she believes is a dated and oppressive custom of wearing burkas and niqabs, a garment and face covering that similarly envelope the wearer, leaving only the eyes exposed.

As vice president of the Toronto-based Muslim Canadian Congress, Siddiqui is lobbying to ban wearing these garments in public.

In October, the congress, a grassroots, nonsectarian organization, issued a public statement calling on the Canadian government to introduce legislation to prohibit burkas and niqabs, arguing that they pose a security risk, as they allow the wearer to conceal her identity, and are political symbols of Islamic extremism.

http://www.womensenews.org/story/traditions/091113/politics-burka-and-niqab-heat-in-canada

[vadawg]

1. torn on this one, should be the individuals choice, but there are situations where it hinders ID

i guess there could be some middle ground where its the individuals choice but they have to remove the face covering in certain places and situations... :shrug:

[rd_kent]

5. I agree. People should be able to wear what they want, but when getting ID

they need to show their face (thats the point of an ID, right?) and show their face when asked to verify ID. Doesn't seem like a big problem to me.

[vadawg]

7. problem is it becomes a big problem, we have had situations where females wearing burquas

have refused to positively identify themselves, now if they went with the program its a simple 5 minute issue, but it turned into a multi hour process of back and forth, i understand the issue with wanting to wear one but there has to be a middle ground for exigent circumstances...

[rd_kent]

8. Thats what I mean. Instead of a law that makes it illegal to wear one

make a law that states one must show their face when getting/using ID.

[vadawg]

10. yup problem is theres always going to be someone wanting to fight even that compromise

this is one that i think will go back and forth...

[FLAprogressive]

2. these laws are oppressive and anti-freedom. Government should not tell people how to dress.

[rd_kent]

6. You are right. Do you also feel that when getting/using ID

they should have to show their face?

[FLAprogressive]

9. yes. but banning what someone can wear in public is wrong no matter what it is.

[rd_kent]

11. Agreed.

[paulsby]

12. there were people here arguing

but of course it was a US case, that women should be allowed to testify in court while wearing face obscuring garb like this. THAT is insane. fwiw, govt. should not have the power to tell women not to wear these items. but if people want a driver's license, or need their identity confirmed, that's another matter.

[Sultana]

3. +1

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. There are always people who are actually willing to be subservient, and love it

I knew this lady who got involved in a type of Christianity that required women to wear long dresses, no makeup, follow the orders of the husband, make no decisions without her husband, use no birth control, etc. etc. etc.

I think women who choose to do that in countries where they were neither raised to do that, and are not expected to, get into that out of a tremendous lack of self-esteem. They don't value themselves and so place themselves as a place for someone else to step on.

On the other hand, women who are raised in subservience don't know any better and/or may have no choice.

I believe that just as I am expected, when traveling to Saudi Arabia, to dress like the culture, all who live on this side of the big lake should also dress like we dress. There are, after all, limitations to freedom and religion. For example, you can't break the law even if it's part of your religious belief. You can't run around naked on the street even if you are a nudist.