French Parliament Approves Burqa Ban

The French Parliament recently approved banning the burqa, a loose dress and veil that is worn by some Muslim women.

According to Wikipedia, the burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of hiding a female’s body when out in public. It is worn over the usual daily clothing (often a long dress) and removed when the woman returns to the sanctuary of the household, out of the view of men that are not their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, sons and grandsons.

The burqa ban was supposed in a landslide vote of 336 to 1 and also holds the support of around 80% of French citizens. Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie stated after the votes were in that the ban is a “victory for humanitarian values that are the foundations of the greatness of France.”

Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination in Europe feels a great deal differently than the lower house of Parliament on the burqa ban, saying “A complete ban on the covering of the face would violate the rights to freedom of expression and religion of those women who wear the burqa or the niqab in public as an expression of their identity or beliefs.”

From here, the ban will need to be approved by the full Parliament, but it is still likely to face challenges. The French Council of State has already advised that “no incontestable legal basis can be found for an outright and generalized ban on the wearing of the full veil.” If the ban is passed by the full Parliament, it will result in making those wearing the burqa pay a fine of approximately $200. If a man is found forcing a woman to wear a burqa against her will, that man will also face some steep consequences, including a $40,000 fine and a year in jail.

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About the Author: Holly Ord

In addition to being the Founder and Editor of Woman Tribune, Holly Ord is a freelance writer, web designer and developer, feminist activist and blogger, and hopeless video game addict. She lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania and has been blogging on liberal politics and gender equality on her personal website, Menstrual Poetry since 2007.

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