Forcing a Woman to Take Her Clothes Off in Public is Never OK

[jaysunb]

http://www.arabamerica.com/forcing-woman-take-clothes-off-public-never-ok/

This is not the first time French officials have tried to limit the clothing choices of Muslim women. The hijab has been debated in France for years because many consider it an anti-French form of modesty. It is no secret that the ethnically French society has taken issue with many Muslim French citizens. The country touts secularism and feminism, but only the versions that agree with French standards.

Secularism applies to Muslims, but not French Jews or Christians. Feminism applies to freedom of sexual expression, but not the women who choose to dress modestly. Laws like the burkini ban are ways of suppressing what is not deemed “French,” while ostracizing an integral part of French society – Muslims.

After colonizing Arab and Muslim countries, France opened its doors to those they once occupied in a gesture of humanitarianism. And yet, France is still not ready to stop occupying the bodies and beliefs of Arabs and Muslims.

The burkini is hurting no one and is the most discriminatory approach to counterterrorism that French cities could have adopted. “Othering” Muslim members of Western society and making them feel inferior are the best recruitment tools for Islamic terrorist organizations. Studies on ISIL recruitment shows that they attract Westerners who feel angry with society and like they don’t belong.

Instead of making it illegal to dress modestly, France should build communication lines between non-Muslims and Muslims within the country to combat Islamic terrorism. Figuring out the reason behind the attacks is a true leadership strategy; not suppressing the freedom of innocent women who had nothing to do with the attacks.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

1. Forcing ANYONE to do ANYTHING is NEVER okay!

Forcing Native Americans into jail because they want to protect their Sacred Water and land isn't okay either...

Be sure and check this song out too:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028124543

[davidn3600]

2. You are assuming it's a choice

Many times in muslim countries, it isn't a choice. It's a law for women to dress that way.

We are going to criticize France for their secularism but remain silent when Iran makes a law forbidding any women from showing their hair?

Why are only western nations being criticized?

[world wide wally]

3. This is a good point ^

[AllTooEasy]

11. That's a bullshit point

Iran and several Arab countries have been heavily criticized for their dress codes since I was born...and I'm 45. What rock have you been living under?

Forcing people to wear too many clothes or forcing them to show some skin are both unethical.

Either France is a free nation or it's not. Treat people like adults and let them decide their own level of modesty. I applauded France when they let people go nude on beaches for this exact reason. Be consistent.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. Because western nations shouldn't

be determining how women dress. If those living in western nations dress oppressively that it on their fucked up mythology, not the western country. That goes for dumb assed fundie xtians in the US, too.

[Brickbat]

15. Forcing a woman to take something off that she was forced to put on isn't really the solution.

[eissa]

4. Jesus, enough

She wasn't forced to strip. She was given the option of leaving, paying a fine, or taking off that hideous, oppressive garment. She CHOSE the latter. Most likely the option most women would choose who were free from the intense pressure from their family/community. Stop siding with the imams.

[Egnever]

6. Right?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Jesus? Crusade much?

[ArcticFox]

8. exactly

[AllTooEasy]

12. Not Exactly, but rather complete Bullshit

So Afghan women have a choice when told "Wear a burka or be fined and beaten"? Gay Arabs are given a choice when told "Live a lie, or get beheaded". This poster sounds like conservative radio hosts who tell Blacks "if you don't like racism where you live, then move"

The fact that her "options" include a fine or arrest is an attack on freedom. What if the US govt gave those "options" to abortion doctors, homosexuals, the press, or interracial couples? Would you call that freedom or oppression?

Exactly

[jberryhill]

9. Allahu Akhbar, enough with the Jesus

I find it amusing that people freak out at people using as common an expression as "Jesus!"

Shall I assume, because you say "Jesus" that your comment is inspired by some sort of religious faith?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

10. How about if we just have a chat with Sam Stone on the matter...

BTW, Gotcha[punk]

[MADem]

13. There it is, in a nutshell. For once in her life, she actually had a choice!

If she didn't have the disapprobation of a male relative in terms of her costume when leaving her home, she probably would have thrown on a bathing suit and a beach robe and gone out to grab some rays.

She wasn't actually even wearing a "burkini" -- she was wearing some sort of ghastly hijab over a pair of black "leggings-style" pants and a sleeveless blouse.

[Odin2005]

14. "Laicite" has become the new White Man's Burden.

This kind of aggressive state-secularism is now just a form of belief in the supremacy of Western Civilization in it's post-Christian form.