In 2012 France banned the public wearing of the niqab and the burka. This is the only European country at this time which has taken this action. It may be a purely political decision, but there are a lot of other reasons why wearing a niqab and burka is wrong. For example, Dr Tarj Hargey from the Muslim Education Centre, Oxford states these coverings are a pre Islamic cultural practice, a throw back to the Byzantine and Persian empires. Dr Tarj Hargey is an Iman and has on demonstrated his dislike of these coverings by burning them in public. Quite clearly, not all Iman's have the same view on the topic. However, saying this, there is no mention at all in the Quran suggesting female followers of Islam should follow this practice. Dr Hargey goes on to state this practice was used by the aristocrats of these early empires to show their ownership of women, by not letting other males gaze upon them. The Quran instructs men and women to dress modestly the words niqab and burka can not even be found in it. So it comes down to interpretation which then gives sholastic Iman's the influence and power to preach to their flock, as to what they should wear or how they should react to the rest of the world. Dr Hargey and many Europeans also agree on one thing, these coverings make women appear as second class citizens who have to follow the words of men. The directions to cover up are misogynistic and offensive.
The face is an intimate tool of communication. It is said in language the message is 90 per cent non verbal from the actual words spoken. In verbal communication there is a phenomenon known as the McGirk effect, where viewing the lips of a speaker helps to actually hear what they say. This is because in part we lip read as well as listen to the words spoken. Covering up the face in any way is the kind of thing racing drivers, motor bike riders and bank robbers do. It is associated either with anonymity or with safety in the form of a visor. It is anonymity which comes across in public as being offensive. I've seen young males cover their faces with pull up scarves, the don't want people to see them to recognize them because they may have a nefarious intent. It is to protect themselves, because they may well be in the process of committing a crime. Which then makes me ask are these Islamic following females about to commit a dastardly deed when they cover up? Of course not. Yet, do they understand how this may be seen and viewed by others? I doubt it. There is a liberal freedom in the UK to wear what you want, in most part. Yet at the same time there is a recognition you would not walk down the street with an offensive or racist slogan written on a t-shirt. While in another instance hiding a face if not for safety reasons is also an offensive act, in being a factor of male domination and anti-social terms, but yet it is not banned in the UK. It could very well be the UK is too liberalistic. For, here all types of fundamentalist views are allowed to be held within the law, they coexist at the same time even if they are disliked. While then advocating it is the law of the land and justice which reigns supreme, when in fact we all know it is more of who has enough money to buy the best lawyers and then they are the ones who reign supreme.
For a Muslim woman the wearing of these coverings may be based in additional reasons than just religious. Men will and do like to oggle women, especially if they are attractive. Or attractive to the man. Wearing a full body covering and face covering doesn't give a man a chance to see an features of a woman at all. In so doing a woman may feel they are no longer being judged either by men or other women for what they wear or on how attractive they are. The coverings become a shield, endorsed in the guise of religion or culture. Or indeed it could be a very self enlightened freedom of expression. It could be said a woman wearing this covering does so through choice and free choice, but it could also be argued in Islamic circles wearing these coverings is not just a choice it is a social norm and there is a degree of social pressure, where women are coerced into this attire. In this instance the full hijab and niqab becomes a standing moving coffin. Others will argue it is not for the state to dictate what an individual wears and all persons should have freedom of choice. Which is ludicrous because if I chose to walk down the street naked it would only be a matter of time before I am arrested for indecent exposure. People would find it offensive, but in the same instance the acknowledgement of public decency and offensive undress should apply to offensive full dressage.
The UK is celebrated as a secular country, and it's current laws are such to allow freedom of expression unless of course the intent of this freedom is abused to cause harm to other persons. However, this harm is considered primarily when it is a real physical threat. The law to a lesser degree tackles psychological harassment, but it is a much lesser degree. To the extend if one wishes to be offensive to other people by demeanor then it is fine. The world is made up of a mixed bag of people and there will always be those who are idiots, it's a fact, but probably an interpretive fact. The bottom line is wearing a face covering is an alien aspect to the UK society, historically you will probably only find it when used to protect the face, such as in war. It is not an every day aspect of life. Therefore it does appear offensive, because the face is a major communicative tool and facial expressions tell a lot about a person. So why should one person show their face while another keeps it covered up? The answer is because the UK has now become a multi cultural society and societies within societies are both allowed to exist and at the same time be contradictory and offensive to those not part of the in group. Ultimately it is down to the individual what they wear. However, like the phenomenon termed Stockholm syndrome, where a kidnapped victim begins to identify with their kidnappers, the same mental bending can be interpreted of those adherents of some religions. Unless of course you happen to be living in France in which case, being covered up in a black clothed coffin is probably known as locked in syndrome.
Viva La France.
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