You cannot tackle fear with a fine…
A FEW weeks ago I wrote about lack of clothing. Today I am writing about too much. The Belgian city of Masseik has implemented new laws on wearing the burka in public. They have fined a young Moroccan woman 125 euros. I have some reservations about this policy: it seems hypocritical. To a large extent, I think that when we are not at work or in education we should have the right to wear what we want. Let’s face it, burkas like suits and ties, are a type of uniform. They are about conformity and social convention. They set people apart and define their status.
I can understand that in the era of CCTV and Islamophobia people feel that to hide one’s face is threatening. Personally, I find the burka alarming only in its underlying message of the control of women: but as citizens of a country if they choose to wear it I see no reason why they shouldn’t be allowed to.
Does it mean we should criminalise balaclavas, hoodies and Halloween masks as they cover the face? Should we ask Hassidic Jews to remove their wigs and Plymouth Brethren their headscarves? Will it end with beards and sunglasses being outlawed? Will the carnivals in Venice and Notting Hill be stopped and Father Christmasses disappear? Will I have to refrain from wearing my dalek costume in public? This law is not for the benefit of the women involved it is to do with surveillance and control of another kind.
The truth is that by the time a woman is in her twenties and has been raised to feel secure behind her burka: to believe that the gaze of men on her face is sinful, that it is the only way to protect her modesty, then there must a great deal of stress in removing it. There is also the uncomfortable truth that if she disobeys her father or her husband by not wearing it she may well face a beating or punishment.
It is not on the street burkas should be banned, but in school. It is hard to contribute in class if the teacher cannot see your face. It makes it difficult to lean over a bunsen burner, and almost impossible to join in sport. All children should be given the same freedoms and treatment, despite the religion of their parents. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that it should be the right of all children to choose their religion and not be indoctrinated at an early age by the beliefs of their parents.
This is the great strength of a secular and universal education system. It provides the same opportunity to all. Girls given the freedom and confidence of a puberty without being hidden behind a veil are unlikely to choose to wear it in later life. Just as girls who are allowed to wear trousers to school are more likely to play football at breaktime. Of course, some religious leaders will object to this. It encourages children to examine beliefs and behaviour rationally. But our schools, paid through tax payers’ money, should apply the same standards and expectations to all children regardless of gender, race or religion.
The action taken in Belgium is unfair on women. It is not tackling the problem at its root. You cannot tackle fear and faith with a fine.
