[Gendergap] Nudity vs Islam in Western Europe

[Arnaud HERVE]

I am not sure this is strictly on-topic, but I thought it might be 
interesting concerning female appearance issues.

We are starting presidential campaigns in France now, and there is a 
candidate for the right of women to wear the niqab (full clothing except 
for the eyes)

Here is an article, you probably won't understand it but you will see 
the video, which I think is telling :

http://www.lepoint.fr/societe/2012-la-candidate-du-niqab-22-09-2011-1376118_23.php

In this interview, basically she claims it is her individual right as a 
woman, to wear the niqab as she would wear a mini-skirt. Feminists on 
the contrary argue that it is not a mere piece of clothe, but a 
submission to Islamic law, which implies a loss of civic rights for women.

So that's what I said earlier, there is now a contradiction between 
multiculturalism and women's rights. Both of which used to belong 
together in the side of progress, traditionally.

On a more practical level, you can understand that she won't be able to 
run the full campaign, because it will not be possible to identify her. 
It could be her sister or her mom any time. Women wearing the niqab are 
already refused in many jobs, because precisely it is impossible to know 
who is the employee. In the case of a kindergarten for example it could 
even be a man impersonating his sister.

But here it will make some noise, because it is her intention to get 
banned for the presidential campaign, and it is precisely that sort of 
publicity she is looking for.

Arnaud