William Jones
RELG 6/19
Voltaire’s Nightmare– Banning the Veil
Ideological battles are often waged with women 's bodies as their emblems, and Western Islamophobia is no exception.
-Naomi Wolf
State secularism (Laïcit鬬 in France) is rooted in principles put forward by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Voltaire—state neutrality in order to ensure the right to freely express oneself and the right to religious freedom. Contemporary movements to ban the Islamic veil on the grounds of its symbolic value represent a perversion of the original intent of state secularism and infringe upon these basic rights. Our western perception of the veil as a universal symbol of oppression is based in a long history of orientalism (stereotyping),
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She makes the case that Western feminists have radically misinterpreted the veil. For many Muslim women, the veil acts as a divide between the public and private. The veil may actually liberate women from “the intrusive, commodifying, basely sexualizing Western gaze”. The veil frees women from the oppressive hyper-sexualization of found in Western culture. Reducing the veil to a symbol of oppression disregards the possibility of female agency outside a Western feminist paradigm. The veil has the potential to liberate women in the public space. Projecting our Western notions of sexuality and gender roles denies the possibility of different forms of sexual …show more content…
Voltaire’s objections to the state imposed religion of 18th century France would hold true for the militant secularism of today. Toleration is foundational to a healthy society- “tolerance has never provoked a civil war; intolerance has covered the Earth in carnage” (Treatise on Tolerance). Banning the veil, like all attempts to create a more homogenous society, is doomed to fail. Any ban encourages Islamophobia and feeds extremism by stigmatizing Muslims. Instead we must “focus on the creation of mechanisms designed to help women escape subjugation and domestic abuse, leave oppressive family structures without the fear of violent reprisals, as well as equip them with tools to better integrate within society and ensure their autonomy” (National Secular Society). Banning the veil is ultimately more of a threat to society than the veil itself. The future stability of Europe hangs in the
Muslims, Sikhs, and many other religious affiliations have often been targeted for hate crimes, racial slurs, and misfortunate events. We are all different in our own ways some are good and some are bad yet one event changes everything for everyone affiliated with the group. The book The Politics of the Veil by Joan Scott a renowned pioneer in gender studies gives a detailed and analytical book of about the French views towards the Muslim females in France during 2004. The author talks about why the French governments official embargo of wearing conspicuous signs is mainly towards the headscarves for Muslim girls under the age of eighteen in public schools. The main themes of book are gender inequality, sexism, and cultural inequality historical schools used in the book are history of below, woman’s history, cultural history, and political history. In this essay, I will talk about why Joan Scotts argument on why the French government’s ban on wearing conspicuous signs was
Last year, the Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN caused controversy when they protested topless in front of mosques to support Amina Sboui’s own topless protest in Tunisia. The controversy the group created was not so much about their support of Amina as much as it was about the way in which they decided to protest and their belief that Muslim women do not have a voice and need rescuing. After looking up interviews and articles from both sides of the controversy, it seemed that FEMEN has fallen into an orientalist view of Arab and Muslim women, which has many parallels to the headscarf controversy in France. In this paper, I argue that FEMEN’s “Topless Jihad” campaign is racist in two ways: First, in their orientalist view of Arabs/Muslims as the “other” that needs to be saved; and, second, through their belief that western values are superior and more “modern” than Arab/Muslim’s beliefs (mainly in regard to the headscarf issue).
Fatemeh Fakhraie’s essay “Scarfing it Down,” explains how Muslim women suffer because of what they wear. Fakhraie blogs about Muslim women in her website she explains; “Seeing ourselves portrayed in the media in ways that are one-dimensional and misleading." Several people judge Muslim's by their appearance because they assume they're a bad person. The author of this essay wants the reader to know that Muslim women wearing a hijab are not a threat to the world.
Author not Available. (2004). Why so they fear women so? Stoned. Beaten. Subjugated. For centuries, Muslim women have suffered at the hands of male fundamentalists. The Daily Mail, 54.
Everyone should be given the freedom of religion regardless. The French secularity principle should be abolished at all costs. This is because it snatches the individuality and freedom of French citizens as well as prevents them from expressing their religious views. The law is not only disrespectful towards Islam, but all religions. Secularity as France presents it is segregating, hypocritical, and disrespectful, and should be immediately stopped. Over the years France has shown distaste towards Muslim females wearing the hijab, or religious headscarf as well as other religious items of clothing such as the niqaab (or religious veil) and the burqa (long coat which covers your clothing). On the basis of secularity many Muslim females have been denied educations, public appearance, as well as citizenship.
Olivier Roy, discusses the relationship between French laicite, and Islam, and how laicite is essentially an obsession with religion. This obsession leads to the desire to legislate about religion instead of accepting true separation. In terms of Islam, laicite singles out Islam as a religion which is not compatible with French ideals. As mentioned before, secularism has become an ideological tool in the rise of anti-Muslim discourse. Islam is viewed as a threat to French national unity, and identity, as it encompasses practices which are deemed “wrong” by French principles. It assumes the expression of religious and cultural practices are forms of extremism. France has been a witness to atrocious terrorist attacks, and the fear of the population is used by political discourse to shape public opinions and values that marginalize minorities. These opinions and values stereotype Muslim minorities and creates a view of them as outcasts. It assumes that those who are not willing to adopt French values, are not French, and that if they are not with them, they are against
Lila Abu-Lughod’s article titled, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” takes a closer look at the problematic ethnocentric approach many have when trying to gain an understanding of another culture that may be foreign to that individual. In this analytical paper, Lughod looks at women in Islam, specifically the treatment of women and how it might be utilized as a justification for invading into a country and liberating its people. The country Lughod refers to in her article is Afghanistan, and Lughod points out the misunderstanding from the people to the Bush administration like First Lady Laura Bush who believed that intervention was necessary to free women from the captivity of their own homes. It is important to consider the role that different lenses play into all of this, especially when one’s lenses are being shaped by the media. Depictions of covered women secluded from society leave a permanent image in the minds of many, who would then later support the idea of liberation. This paper will discuss that the practice of using propaganda when referring to the lifestyle in the Middle East is not exclusive to the U.S; rather it has been utilized throughout history. Additionally, we will take a closer look on the importance of symbols, such as veils in this case; help to further emphasize the cause to liberate. Finally, we will analyze Lughod’s plea towards cultural relativism and away from liberal imperialism.
Today, we in the Western world see Muslim Women and think they’re oppressed, hurt and under male rule due to the forced dress codes in some countries. But before we make assumptions on a group of people, in any one place we should do our research, look back, see why, when and where this all started and why it’s still happening today. We need to see if this is really hurting them, or if it’s just their way of life, there’s a fairly prominent cartoon that shows a Western perspective on Muslim life versus a Muslim perspective on Western women’s life. In the Cartoon the Western Woman is thinking to herself “Everything covered but her eyes, what a cruel male-dominated culture!” which shows how most of the Western World thinks of Muslim women, oppressed by their male counterparts. But at the same time the Muslim Woman is thinking to herself “Nothing covered but her eyes, what a cruel male-dominated culture!” which shows the topic through a different lens, it can be said that they prefer to wear it because they feel more respected wearing it and feel as equals, but we must stop just looking at the surface and judging another group, we need to dig into the information and figure out why before we deem another culture “male-dominated.”
International human rights standards protect the rights of persons to be able to choose what they wish to wear, and in particular to be able to manifest their religious belief. Thus, Human Rights Watch in their report, focusing on the hijab ban for state officials in Germany, said that: “Restrictions should only be implemented where fully justified by the state, and be the least restrictive necessary”.1 Proclamation of wearing the hijab in public institutions as illegal is undermining the autonomy of individuals, their right to choose, their right to privacy and intimacy, and their self-determination. In addition to this, several European countries such as Germany and France directly prevent women wearing hijab to work or attend school in the public state institutions, which further intensified already negative attitude of Western public towards wearing hijab.
If this is what westerners base their women’s superiority on, then they’ve got major bridges to cross, called integrity, character, and piety. By reading the Koran, Radley discovered that what “Western feminists fought for in the 1970’s was available to Muslim women 1’400 years ago.” Not only were women equal to men in “spirituality, education, and worth” but they were also held in high regard because of their “childbirth and child-rearing” attributes. There is an actual vastness at how different Muslim and Western women perceive freedom and how they go about achieving it. Westerners seem to think that because their religion forbids them from “binge drinking, casual sex, and drug use,” Muslim women are somehow missing out on the real meaning of freedom. If true freedom is abusing one’s body, then how is keeping it pure, ulcer-free and mentally stable the opposite? Radley later complies with this statement when she asks, “ What is more liberating: being judged on the length of your skirt and the size of your surgically enhanced breasts, or being judged on your character and intelligence?” It’s arguable to say that although most Muslim countries hold their women to a traditional standard of education, their Western counterparts are simultaneously enslaved by the social norm called sexualization– Branding their women as “mature, sexy and approachable.” Speaking of
In numerous countries, particularly in the West, Muslims are currently looked upon with terror and suspicion, just as they are not by any means a part of the communities in which they live in. The Muslim veil, a long way from being the wonderful clothing of humble and devotion as Muslims see it, is viewed as an image of some dangerous religion. Young Muslim men wearing a facial hair are seen as extremists, and are stopped and searched as possible terrorists. Indeed, even government officials now talk about Islam and Muslims just as if they are considered to be hidden enemies inside these countries, who must be observed carefully.
I do like your ideas you brought up about the Marjane and children in wearing of the veil. Growing up as a child required a lot of questions and wondering, especially seeing a different character and the attitude of the people. Marjane and the others female girl was not happy about the wearing of the veil. They keep saying that they do not understand the reason behind the veil. I would say that some of the culture in our society has brought a lot of oppression that women faced today. However, I am not saying that the society does not supposed to have their own culture guiding them. What I am trying to say is that they should make their culture in a way that, no one should rebel or become intimidated about the culture. In addition, most of the
Throughout history religion-state issues have always occurred. In France religion does influence law making and politics. This is evident in the banning of the burqa, which is contradictory as France claims to be a secular state. The French government believes the ban reinforces their stance of secularism, and that banning the full face veil will remove a perceived social barrier between the Muslims and general society. The Muslims believe it is actually removing them from the social sphere and an attack on their rights as French citizens. From analysing both sides of the argument a solution can be hypothesised and applied to the situation.
Religion continues to be a volatile characteristic of American politics and culture today. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the pervasive fear of extremism and terrorism was increasingly connoted with Islam. The hijab is a trademark of the faith and a part of a Muslim woman’s identity but often leads to ostracization in society. Living in post-9/11 America has outlined the need to understand the spiritual perspective of Islam as I have witnessed numerous instances in which people have shown initial apprehension to my Muslim best friend due to her hijab. The discriminatory label of the hijab as a symbol of oppression and allegiance to fundamentalist beliefs instigated my desire to study what
Women, who are now seen wearing the full faced veil, are issued with a fine on the spot, are expected to take a citizenship course and if authorities find out that a male is oppressing a woman to wear the burka, then he himself is put into prison. This new law prevents Muslim women in France to not only wear the full faced veil but also the head scarf which is more common than the burka which was their choice alone and now they do not have the right to make a choice. Franco - Muslim leaders in France view this new law as a form of discrimination. "To raise the subject via a parliamentary committee is a way of stigmatizing Islam and the Muslims of France," said Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Council for the Muslim Relig...