Should wearing a burqa be banned in the UK?

I think that what we need to decide as a country is what we are trying to achieve.

Once that is decided then I think decisions will flow from there.

Aveline

If UAE bans them why can't we?

The UAE has never banned the burqa

Ladyleftfieldlover

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.

Yes, but with nuns, you can still see their faces. A burka makes that impossible.
Whatever happened to, ‘when in Rome….’?

I feel very uncomfortable with people having their faces covered albeit also feeling uncomfortable with banning it. I remember being in IKEA many years ago and a man was walking round with several women, all with their faces covered. They seemed to be behaving in a very subservient way and I found it very unnerving. Given that it was such a long time ago I’m surprised at how vivid it is in my mind.

Yes, most definitely.

If UAE bans them why can't we?

I was astounded that my friends husband was still able to drive after loosing an eye.

I felt sure that his driving must be less safe. But the DVLA. Said no problem.

Primrose53

Yes it should be banned. In many cases they are very dangerous. Go to Leicester and see the women driving around in great big 4 x 4s with full face coverings and just a slit to see through. You can’t tell me that’s safe.

Very true, not safe, but maybe ban all face coverings for driving.

Simply make it a DVLA ruling. so everyone in "same boat" not picked on.

Galaxy

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

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

My sentiments exactly.

But, an outright ban - no.

I think that if a woman chooses to wear a burqa it is entirely a matter of her choice. However, if she is coerced or bullied into doing so it is another matter entirely but only the re-education of both sexes could improve this practice. As for banning it in public, it should only be banned in places where facial recognition is essential such as banks and airports.

Yes it should be banned. In many cases they are very dangerous. Go to Leicester and see the women driving around in great big 4 x 4s with full face coverings and just a slit to see through. You can’t tell me that’s safe.

Allira

Lathyrus3

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

😂😂😂

I think it's the b b b but it's not blaringly obvious.

It depends.
Are women being coerced into wearing the burqa by the men in their families or religious leaders, or are they wearing them through choice?

I think no woman should be wearing a burqa if they are in a public-facing position, eg teacher, doctor etc as we need to see facial expression.

Doctors, teachers, public face to face, people aren't allowed a burka? The school/LA/doc practice etc insists I bleive.

Would we accept being forced to wear such a garment? if we answer no, then why is it acceptable for women from other ethnic groups to have it foisted upon them, are they not our equals?

Well said, Terribull

I noticed the Afghan women here were robed but not wearing the full burqa, the men in Western dress. The girls coming out of secondary school were wearing the hijab with school uniform. I hope the girls will gradually become more integrated and be able to decide for themselves without a man dictating to them how they should appear in public.

I think the best way is not to ban but, certainly, have circumstances and situations where it is not acceptable.

A simple rule that says in a situation where any head covering would be unacceptable, a burka is unacceptable. Anywhere it is necessary to see and recognise someone so that you would recognise them again a bloke in a motcycle helmet is just a bloke in a motorcycle helmet. John Bloggs without his helmet is John Bloggs. A woman in a burqa is (possibly) a woman in a burka - although it could be a man - who knows. Mary Smith is clearly and recognisably Mary Smith.

I'm unsure about the wearing of the burqa in the UK. When I was in Saudi I had to keep my legs covered and I adhered to that. I was also not allowed to swim in public. This was a long time ago admittedly but I still feel we should wear what is considered appropriate in a country where the covering of parts of the body is important to the people who live there.

I personally can't stand the awful ugly things, created by men to dehumanize women but I think it should be up to the individual women if they wear them or not.

Galaxy

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

😁

It made me want to thcream and thcream until I'm thick.

I think Ladyleftfield is thinking about a hijab not a burqa

My first reaction to this was of course not, other religions cover their hair, Jewish men wear skull caps, nuns wear hair covering, sheiks wear turbans etc etc but then thinking about it more deeply you realise that by allowing this very old tradition we are actually playing into the hands of the controlling men making their wives cover their whole body including their face which really does have no place in the world ever it is not a religious need but totally male control over woman How uncomfortable and debilitating it must be to be contained head to foot in black material with no choice, if the men wore similar garb it would be different but they don’t do they ?
So hijab yes fine Burka no not fine

However I totally DISagree with Teaze s reasoning and hate to agree with anything that Far Right hideous party suggests

When I go to other countries I respect their customs. The same should apply here. This taken from an article in the Daily Telegraph:

Our culture, rooted in Judeo-Christian values, Enlightenment reason and the hard won principle of sexual equality, has made this country one of the most tolerant and liberal on earth. But tolerance cannot mean indifference. A society that tolerates everything, even its own erosion, will not survive.

there is a longer article in today’s Daily Telegraph for those interested.

Some time ago I was in the waiting room of the gynae department.
With me in that department was a married couple from Afghanistan. The man was dressed in the traditional Afghan pakoi ( hat) and a shawl.
His wife had on the full burqa the women wear in Afghanistan.
It was a very odd encounter in a small room.
They went in before me and all I could think of was that poor woman was being examined by a male gynaecologist with ( I presume) her husband translating.

Lathyrus3

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

😂😂😂

I think it's the b b b but it's not blaringly obvious.

It depends.
Are women being coerced into wearing the burqa by the men in their families or religious leaders, or are they wearing them through choice?

I think no woman should be wearing a burqa if they are in a public-facing position, eg teacher, doctor etc as we need to see facial expression.

I think the face should be seen. Dangerous people can hide ‘openly’ in a burqa.

I just wonder as to those who don't want it banned, and I'm not saying I do, I'm still deliberating. I'd ask this would you accept being told to cover up in such a way from your father, husband, son, brother, community leader, priest whoever, if not, why not???

wyllow3
Yes, so why Canada? Well all of the European liberal countries, who in some cases are traditionally more liberal than us?

Yes WW I was very sympathetic to the taxi driver, I felt sad for him forced to leave his neighbourhood. When Simon went into the Danish parliament and had the conversation with the Danish Parliamentarian, my initial thoughts, particularly with the posters of the nuclear Danish family ideal, shades of Nazism ......but they forced their Jewish communities out to live on the fringes, before eliminating them completely. The Danish rationale on the contrary is to draw their immigrant communities in and make them inclusive so they can benefit, particularly from an educational pov. It could be argued their methods are rather hardline.