.... Nor should we hold back from examining exactly what “choice” means. Are Muslim women really choosing the hijab if state primary schools, against all Koranic teaching and despite campaigns by secular feminists, have allowed it to be imposed upon them from early childhood?
Why did husbands in the Open Society study mainly encourage wives to veil? To keep them from other men’s eyes, to possess and contain them? Britain should consider French and Danish legislation which imposes hefty fines and imprisonment on anyone forcing a woman to cover.
There are a thousand better ways to support Muslim women than a burka ban. We could insist that Islamic marriage is accompanied by a state ceremony to give Muslim wives legal divorce rights; support the campaign One Law for All to diminish the role of Sharia courts; invest in English lessons for foreign brides; prosecute forced marriage with more vigour.
.... Do those who favour a burka ban really seek a tolerant society? Or do they need extremes: hate figures in black veils, “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”. Meanwhile Islamists long to portray these defiant burka-wearers as victims. Both want clear-cut lines, a battle that may hit the streets, end up with slapped women, and children who having witnessed their mother’s humiliation may turn to violence. In our volatile times, we must ask if we want to build a cohesive society or fight an unwinnable war [The Times (£)] Read more
