The hijab debate: 'I don't want to be judged on my looks' in the Independent last weekend gave ten womens reasons why they veiled to one extent or another. We need to listen to them, and the men of the community, and do them the decency of hearing what they have to say. The debate that has been going on is filled with bigotry and ignorance.
For a glimpse of why the "burqa debate" is so offensive to Muslims, have a look at the comments section of Berks and Burqas at Harry's Place, a low key politics blog that according to Islamophobia watch is renowned for its negativity to Muslims. Harry's Place debates the 'burka ban' summarises a few of the comments. I choose three:
"... it must be intended to convey a message. For me, that message is that the wearer and her family support terrorism and those forces against which our soldiers are fighting, and so are going to get no sympathy from me."
"The Burqua is more a political statement when worn in the West; it should be reviled for what it symbolises and critiqued and stigmatised as the abomination that it is. It's every bit as bad as a swastika armband and worse than a BNP badge."
"We are fighting a war against the Taliban.... These people are killing our soldiers and vice versa. So wearing Taliban uniform is not just like going around wearing swastikas, but like going round wearing swastikas in 1940."
This is simply ignorant bigotry, but the arguments of some of the tabloids is not far away - albeit dressed up in less offensive language.
For an intelligent conversation it also helps to know the terminology. The BBC have a nice little graphic site on the different types of veil. There is also good articles (5 pages to each) on the two most obvious types, the Hijab and the Niqab. (I realise the BBC's presentation of the case will not necessarily be satisfactory for some Muslims, but I hope you understand my motivation is to produce a sensible debate.)
Once we get past these two barriers, we will need to address some of our kneejerk reactions, and our own values. I like to see and look into peoples eyes, but I must be prepared to listen to why that may not be a valid argument. And why some women may want to be covered.
For a nation that supposedly values freedom there are a lot of people who are not prepared to allow others people's freedom
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