On Thu, Sep 22, 2011 at 8:21 AM, Arnaud HERVE
<arnaudherve@x-mail.net> wrote:
I am not sure this is strictly on-topic, but I thought it might be
interesting concerning female appearance issues.
We are starting presidential campaigns in France now, and there is a
candidate for the right of women to wear the niqab (full clothing except
for the eyes)
Here is an article, you probably won't understand it but you will see
the video, which I think is telling :
http://www.lepoint.fr/societe/2012-la-candidate-du-niqab-22-09-2011-1376118_23.php
In this interview, basically she claims it is her individual right as a
woman, to wear the niqab as she would wear a mini-skirt. Feminists on
the contrary argue that it is not a mere piece of clothe, but a
submission to Islamic law, which implies a loss of civic rights for women.
So that's what I said earlier, there is now a contradiction between
multiculturalism and women's rights. Both of which used to belong
together in the side of progress, traditionally.
On a more practical level, you can understand that she won't be able to
run the full campaign, because it will not be possible to identify her.
It could be her sister or her mom any time. Women wearing the niqab are
already refused in many jobs, because precisely it is impossible to know
who is the employee. In the case of a kindergarten for example it could
even be a man impersonating his sister.
But here it will make some noise, because it is her intention to get
banned for the presidential campaign, and it is precisely that sort of
publicity she is looking for.
Arnaud