Should wearing a burqa be banned in the UK?

Not the burqua per se, no.

But as facial recognition tools are increasingly used for a variety of purposes, I don’t think faces should be covered.

Absolutely not. Honestly, how far would you go? Nuns cover their hair for religious reasons. Would you ban that too? I am so surprised by this question that I can’t formulate a neat answer! We live in a society with free speech, freedom to worship etc., etc.

I agree Lathyrus that faces shouldn't be covered.

NO!

Covering hair is not the same as covering one's face Ladyleftfieldlover.

No, but thick people love a bit of alliteration.

No

No.

I don't know what I feel about banning, a number of countries do it, I suppose I would want to know if that has improved the situation for women in those countries. And of course there is the thorny question about governments deciding what people can wear. However the idea that it is a free choice for many women is a murky idea. That reminds me of choicey choice feminism which says of course it is womens choice to take part in prostitution etc, it doesnt take into consideration structures of power, disadvantage, etc

Thick people love describing people with different ideas yo themselves as thick.

Galaxy

I’m so thick I can’t even see the alliteration 😳

I’m still thinking about this.

The trouble is that with the issue of immigration and all the problems surrounding it, - racism and racist political parties like reform, it will inevitably be seen as a win for xenophobia and racism, if symbols of the Muslim faith like face covering is banned.

But, I very strongly believe that in order for our society to all shake down together with little division, our culture and its values need to be understood by every member of our society, including its language.

I suspect that time will deal with that however, particularly as the second and third generation immigrants are immersed in British culture.

With regard to the veil. In an ideal world, freedom of choice would be my choice. If the women feel coerced into wearing covering, then I think that this must be their fight and no one else’s!

I think it would be a forced and divisive decision to ban the choice of garment. Much, much better to come from within the religion.

Yes, I also think that there are times when something as simple and universal and unique as the human face needs to be fully recognisable.

So you can see my opinion is very much one of “don’t yet know”

I would never presume to tell a woman what she can and can’t wear. Many do wear the burqa from choice.

www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/what-is-a-burqa

GLAMOUR’s columnist Hani Sidow talks exclusively to Qatar born 28-year-old Khansa Abdul Jaleel, a Computer Engineer, digital marketing consultant and lifestyle blogger about life under the veil … an ambitious and educated woman who has made the personal decision to wear a burqa.

What would you say to someone who believes you might be oppressed or don’t have a choice when it comes to wearing a burqa?

I am not oppressed, I am accomplished. Before putting women who wear a burqa down, I'd ask you to try to understand why we do it. None of my accomplishments would have happened if I were oppressed because I'd be unhappy and I'm not. As a society, there needs to be a better education of our culture so we can understand a little more about each other. It is never nice to label someone based on their own personal choices.

Reluctantly, I'd say it shouldn't be banned. I am very sorry for the women who feel compelled to wear it but if they can only get out if they are wearing the burka then banning it might keep them in their homes.

Yes

Currently elsewhere online am reading posts after post from women in Saudi Arabia about the coercion to remain covered. There is the issue that it is used as a form of oppression elsewhere. So whilst there may be women who make that choice ( and again choice does need to be seen in the context of who holds power) sometimes a few women making that choice makes it very difficult for others to 'escape'. It is a very complex issue.

I agree with freedom of choice, I think if we take away a woman's freedom to wear it we potentially damage their freedom not to. It might result in those women not being seen in and exposed to our culture as much... I don't know how well it has worked in other countries.

Yes it should. I have posted elsewhere and will transfer my comments.

Yes

My main aim in my decision would be to ensure that we reduce division in our society to an absolute minimum, and I think integration and education is the best tool to ensure this.

Where I fall down, is the realisation, that education has done little to achieve this aim to date, judging by what you read on SM, including GN.

Yes I would be interested in how it has worked in France for example, I think it also Denmark and Belgium?

I am very uneasy about banning the burka, but I am also uneasy about anything that removes women from society, and a woman wearing a burka in public is being erased from society.

I have read the quote Silverbrook posted, but beg to disagree. I could accept this woman's argument if men too wore burkas, or could if they wanted to and roughly as many men chose to wear burkas as women. But the burka by its being a garment that only women wear, that is aimed at hiding women, their faces, their ordinary everyday clothed bodies, when men do not do likewise, is inherently discriminately.

The other side that is never put is what about our European cultural norms. In Europe there has always been a cultural norm for the visible face. The person who hides their face is seen as suspicious. Villains always swirl their cloaks over their faces, In the period of Mystery Novels, dangerous devious monks, hid their faces in their cowls, the knight who killed the dragon and won the lady, took off his helmet to reveal his faceto his inamorata. The bank robber or burglar wears a mask to cover their face.

Isn't it reasonable to ask that there should be a respect for our culture, and our unease about people who hide their faces.

Having witten the above, I have reluctantly convinced myself that while I would not ban the burka, I would avtively discourage it. Motor cyclists have to take their helmets off to go into banks, petrol stations, they take them off for interviews, and would not wear them at a meeting. I see no difference between them and a woman wearing a burka or any other face covering. On the other hand, covering your mouth with a scarf in freezing weather, wearing a mask when avoiding infection, are all acceptable reasons to wear a mask, although again, when you get to the warm shop, office, workplace, you take it off and everyone can see you.

I just think we need to be asking a different question from the ones about choice.

The salient question is how vital is it to our society that we are able to identify individuals and thereby hold them accountable for their actions?

I think that’s vital, and that any form of face covering. (which is our best initial form of identification) should not be allowed.