Well Boris with his usual bumbling has opened up a debate by comparing women in Niqabs and Burqas to letter boxes and bank robbers.
Well to start with it was rude and offensive. But I don’t mind offense.
Was it Islamophobic??
Possibly.
Personally I find the wearing of such garments completely offensive. They are garments that shriek to me of male domineering misogyny from cultures long ago and I don’t think they have any place in a civilised country. They offend my sensibilities. When I interact with someone I interact with their face. The whole of the human face is expressive. Not to have that contact seems wrong. I can understand why people find it threatening.
I find it absolutely wrong for men to be walking around in comfortable, cool Western clothes while women are wearing such cumbersome and unpleasantly claustrophobic attire. Mind you, I find some of the costumes some men wear utterly unsuited for the British climate and almost as bad.
A number of countries have gone so far as to ban these niqabs and burqas as not being compatible with society. I would agree that they are not compatible with a modern society based on equality.
But I wouldn’t ban them. I would oppose any laws that dictated what someone should or should not wear. However, I do think that if a person is working with children or the public, where face to face is so important, these, like crash-hats, balaclavas, masks or any other facial covering, should not be worn.
These garments are not even Islamic. There is no mention of them in the Koran. They date back to days well before. So why are some Muslim women insisting on wearing them?
Surely Muslim women in Britain should exercise their right to freedom and show unity with their sisters in those countries where these things are compulsory?
What do you think?
Was Bumbling Boris right to be so rude?