Strip Off!

I don't believe it is Pogs. I find it difficult to articulate my feelings about the burka, I can't see it as anything other than a statement that men are so unable to control themselves that women must be covered from head to toe in an ugly tent. I hope not to offend anyone but it's a symbol of oppression to me, though I accept many women chose to wear it.
Many Young Muslim women in our part of England wear very attractive hijab. They look good, often wear them with skinny heans and very skilfully applied makeup. I've no issue with hijab in the workplace but I don't mind people wearing a cross, turban or Yamika either.
A friend lived in Iran during the late 60's early 70's and remembers it as a place of relative freedoms where dress was an individual matter. Her photographs show young Northern Europeans and Iranians wearing similar clothes and mixing freely. No more.

I am totally agnostic about the choices of apparel muslim women make. Particularly if it is their choice.

But it does seem somewhat obsessed about sex?

What has "looking beautiful" got to do with anything?

So, it's ok for women to wear signs of oppression just so long as they look good?

Yes but say they choose to be oppressed?

If they dress modestly because the argument is that it stops men's lust. Does that merely allow the men not to exercise self control? That the women have to help the men to behave appropriately by the way they dress?

You completely lost it jingl

You will have to explain a little bit anya.

Or not.

Perhaps if they want to be oppressed, then the law should take the matter out of their hands. Just so that future generations don't also become oppressed against their will.

Sooner or later young muslim women living in the Western world will want to wear Western fashion.

Your last post to me?

Oh that! I just can't believe that Irish nuns were forced to not wear their veils during the Troubles. I thought you might be able to provide some archived evidence.

Oh! Perhaps it was sarcasm and it was lost on me.

Yes that's true jing
I do see the Islamic faith as not fitting very well with Western culture, at the moment.
It will be interesting what the interaction between the two cultures results in.

I do wish we had some Muslim Grans to chat to and get their take on it. We might learn stuff.

Obviously!

But that wasn't sarcasm BTW

What wasn't sarcasm?

This is getting surreal!

I wish there were some Muslim grans too. Not convinced there are not, actually.
Would they be allowed to talk freely on here?

Iam

You start your post seemingly disagreeing with my view when you say "I don't believe it is POGS" I did say I think the burka is nothing more than the imprisonment of women.

whitewave

The problem is there are women throughout the world who do not 'choose' to wear the burka/niqab, they are 'instructed/beaten' into wearing it.

Ana what's new?

Obi yes. I wonder too. Maybe they all sit and talk to each other instead.

I know that pogs which is why I qualified my statement.

I once watched a Muslim woman on the next table to ours in a pavement cafe in Kuala Lumpur, get out a cigarette and light it.

She was wearing the niqab, and kept lifting it up (from the bottom) so she could take a drag. I watched, fascinated until DH told me to stop staring.

Now that was surreal.

God, it must have got very smokey under there.

Wonder she didn't set fire to it too!

Pogs - I was agreeing with you, I don't believe the burka is something that the Muslim faith set down as the correct clothing for women who follow the faith. I also struggle to see it as anything other than a symbol of the oppression of women.

So if we as a country that it is a symbol of oppression. Would you ban it, as France has done, but for different reasons. I think France is a secular state and therefore all overt display of religion is banned. It is supposed to be a private affair. However, if the Burka is not an Islamic requirement, then how can it be deemed overtly religious? My thoughts are running away with me there.

I would ban any face covering in schools and the workplace only.