Is the best way to improve community relations is to criticise the way a (Muslim) woman dresses?

Question

British government officials have decided that Muslims are issolated from British life...so they have decided to start a campaign attacking how a Muslim woman dresses when she visits her local MP..or has a job....

Do you think this is good way to improve community relation and encourage Muslims to integrate more is to attack them for the way their dress when they take part in British society?

1-It is an attack when 5 governent ministers make statements on this issue including one who interfered in in an employment tribunal.

2-It is feminst to CHOOSE what you want to wear, and be dictated or pressured by male govermnet ministers..
Is it feminised to damage your feet by wearing high heals? Or freeze to death wearing a mini skirt in the winter?

3- I don't think Non Muslims have a right to tell a muslim how to interpretate the Quran
There are many different interpretations..and those womne those to belief that.. It is not for me or you to judge them only God..

Answer 1

I'm a christian and I think it's unfair to criticise anyone for expressing their faith in the way they dress.

Answer 2

I think the MP asked the woman to take her veil off and any woman not happy with the request could refuse.
I personally don't have a problem with a woman wearing the veil but I do find it harder to understand someone when I can't see their whole face.

I don't feel this is getting at any part of society, Christians are being told they can't wear crosses at work is that against the Christians?

Sikh men are allowed to wear turbins Hindu women wear the dot on there forhead at work even on the airlines where Christians are told they can't wear a cross. (Is this racist?)

At schools a lot of kids can't celebrate Christmas anymore because it isn't PC. They learn every other religous festivals but not the Christmas story. My daughter who is 12 went to a state primary school and covered 1 Christian holiday in 3 years at infant school. Most parents who are Christian do want to see there son and daughter on the stage in a nativity. When I was at school if you were not a Christian you didn't go into assembly, thankfully that has changed. But I do feel it is important to carry on the Christian traditions and also learn about other faiths so that this can avoid racial tension.

I am not racist but I can see both sides of the arguement. We are all living in the same community so we all have to have some give and take.

How many countries allow different religions places of worship? I feel overall all the citizens of the UK of all different faiths are very tolerant of each others religions.

I have many friends of many different faiths, personally I don't see being asked and being able to refuse is a big deal.

As for the lady who works in the school, I feel it should be her choice and not enforced on her about her veil.
I also feel the lady who went to work with a cross on shouldn't have been sent home either and told she couldn't wear it.

I know it isn't called a veil but it is nearly 2.00am in the morning and the correct name escapes me at the moment.

Answer 3

It's a matter of having a choice. It's freedom. I think the difference lays in wanting to do something and being forced to do something because it is mandated by law. A conservative Christian woman can decide that she wants to become a topless dancer or join a nudist club and under the law, she is free to do so. There is nothing to prohibit her from doing many immodest activities no matter how anyone else feels. If she feels pressure from her family to not do what they disapprove of, no matter how strongly they disapprove, she can simply leave and make her own life. She is free to do as she pleases, no matter how foolish it is. Although we understand disgrace, we do not understand forcing women to dress a certain way. We do not understand killing a woman or kids for not complying with dress standards or because the family was somehow disgraced. We do not have Sharia, we have choice. We don't always make the best choices, but that's up to us. If you look at what the Taliban's enforcement of Sharia in Afghanistan did in regard to the treatment of women, that's where the real disgraces lays. For instance "Afghanistan had high maternal and child mortality rates and a very low literacy rate for women. But women participated economically, socially and politically in the life of their societies. Women helped to draft the 1964 Constitution. In the 1970s, there were at least three women legislators in the Parliament. Up to the early 1990s, women were teachers, government workers and medical doctors. They worked as professors, lawyers, judges, journalists, writers and poets. " Then the Taliban took over and enforced some of the most heinous rules found on the face of the earth. Women became chattel all in the name of Sharia. Because of things like this, hijab has come to be seen as a symbol of persecution to many in the free world. Forced religious rule, to me, ridicules religion. This happens in the United States in certain families as well as other countries; but not as often and not as a matter of law. I hope that this helps to answer your question. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the wearing of hijab provided that it is a legitimate choice made from one's own personal convictions. Personally, when I see a woman wearing hijab, I silently wonder if she really has a choice.

Answer 4

I would not call it an attack but something which needs to be discussed. I think it is soon reaching the point where people will be worried about saying anything as, once you start to discuss certain issues it is seen as attack on others or being racist, which is often not the case.

Some of the answers listed have a point. In relation to non-muslim women who do not cover their body and men looking at them- the same can also be said about muslim men who also can not help themselves in having a good look. After man or man no matter what race or faith.

What will be interseting is how to strick a balance with doing your job and the issues which your faith will affect you doing your job effectively.

Answer 5

For starters it wasn't a whole attack on the muslim dress. Just in relevant situations. i.e. the classroom, hospitals etc where I believe that the society should be as neutral as possible for all people of any or even no religion.
I would back the request ( not demand ) of anybody that asked a muslim woman to remove the veil if it caused said person unease, just as I would back the request of any muslim who asked a pair of teenagers to stop kissing and groping each other in front of them.
The very essence of British social life is that it should be acceptable for all citizens and sometimes that means everybody bending in one way or another.
Looking at it from a different perspective I would expect a christian to not wear a crucifix on display in an islamic region if it made people uncomfortable.

Answer 6

Nobody wants to compromise,everyone wants to do their thing knowing its going to be a conflict with others why persist.?Methinks Both sides of the fence love a good wind up....Then there are those like me who can see what you are all really up too...
The MPs have speech writers to write for them why didnt they Use better wording..same as usual foot in the mouth..
The press pointing out a muslim assistant teacher getting sacked for wearing her veil,why didnt they just say an assistant teacher sacked because of a difference in school policy like they would do with every Jane and janet..

Answer 7

No but we should be free to criticise. The Muslims criticise the West and it;s excesses and do we threaten to to kill and maim.
A Cartoon is enough for a Mulim to kill. A book is also reason enough. I understand death threats have been issued against ministers in France over he banning of veils in the classroom.
I fully respect peoples beliefs and faiths as long as they do not use them to justify intollerence and hatred. And this message goes for so called Christians too (mentioning no names Mr Privet).

Answer 8

No it is not the best way to improve culture relations, i think muslim women should be allowed to wear their dress. But and this is a big but, they should register themselves some how or other so the frightend non muslim population feel secure, in other words as long as you are known under your burka/veils then no problem , but how can this be acheived, that is the problem.

Answer 9

Hello,

A lot of people because of their faith, culture or race elect to live apart and not to integrate into the British way of life.

You will have observed by comparison how liberal we brits are, we have no national code of dress, no national code of what to eat or not eat, religion over the years is left up to the individual we no longer promote religion in our schools.

We have by enlarge followed the road to capitalism.

But as Brits we can feel threatened by those we do not understand, it is not that we are unwilling to make an effort to understand as often we need someone to understand us.

If someone disagrees with me, thank you... for that we live in a society where you are free to do..just that. Disagree. They have not attacked me for doing so.

If we agree that we are of a different race, culture and faith, well that is good... we have then to note what our differences might be. I notice you have observed some women in our white culture wear high heels, but that in essence is there choice. Maybe these women feel short and want to feel a little taller, maybe they think that heels are a fashion accessorie and that it helps them to feel more attractive and feminine as woman. You must recognise this as speculation it does not make it a fact or an attack. It is an interpretation as to why the heels.

Of late the press. some MP's councillors etc have speculated that it is not easy to coverse with someone in a veil, they feel that it does not help you to integrate with the rest of British society as it seperates you.

As a Brit, I do think this is true but I would not tell you to remove your veil unless I felt threatened by you.

I notice you have a small thumbnail picture of yourself, you look fine. I see no problem of communicating with someones whose face I can see. I do have a problem where the face is completely covered, I would find it daunting to converse in this situation. British children find masked or veiled men and women frightening, they do not see it as a customary code of dress for nationals who are not British.

On the subject of intrepretation we Brits because of our leanings towards being more liberal and easy find that even within the members of the Muslim population..they to have their interpretation of the Quran. As such a vast number of interpretations have been given we would probably approve of the least extreme.

I am speaking here as a moderate thinker here, I have enjoyed sharing with Muslim flatmates over a number of years and the subject of the veil has never been a problem indoors. The issue of when they wanted to hold there prayers was never an issue for me, what they chose to eat and cook not an issue. These were Muslim girls who were willing to integrate via some attempt to compromise.

They didn't wear a miniskirt, a revealing top and a pair of high heels to do this. Although one of my flatmates tried my shoes on for a laugh indoors, and indeed it was.

If Muslim women want to integrate in work, education, or in the society of other white women or indeed with other races of women, they should not wear the full veil. If a Muslim woman feels threatened by a male colleague she should speak with the other women before referring back to her veil. Maybe any fears she might have would dissipitate after debate during which she may gain support and protection.

If you feel vulnerable speak with another woman, don't get annoyed, be calm be truthful and all should be well.

Answer 10

British women are verbally attacked, called half-dressed floosies.

British society is attacked, called drunken violent people.

I could go on.

Do you think it is a good way to improve community relations to wear a veil when talking to people who are not of your faith, and so find it insulting. Give and take, all I see is a lot of moaning minnies who want want want.

Personally, I could'nt care what you wear, wear what you like, but I know enough of you to know that you are rude people with no respect for british people or any religion outside your own.

Don't bother throwing anti-christian comments back at me - I'm not one! So I won't care!

I find a lot of christians just as rude and disrespectful as the muslim religious people.

Improvement within the community is up to you. I've never understood why muslim people choose to live in a christian country when they resent it so much. As for their choice of clothing, it suits the desert not our climate.

I'm not christian, but I've just bought a crucifix and I'm gonna damn well wear it, bold as brass, outside my clothes and even outside my coat this winter.

Answer 11

we have no more right to order a woman not to wear a veil than a Muslim man has the right to order a woman to wear one.freedom of choice after all, and it should be the individuals !
a compromise needs to be sought.
would it be such a bad thing to wear a clearer, more transparent veil? this would be showing respect to we British and our culture, and at the same time adhering to Islamic tradition. wouldn't it ?