Burkaphobia: the irrational fear of clothing

Once more, an item of clothing over (some) Muslim women’s heads has sparked controversial debate and fiercely polarised media coverage. Amidst relentless economic, political and humanitarian crises, the British media is busying itself with the issue of the Niqab (aka Burka or Veil) and whether it should be banned.

Admittedly, the Niqab is somewhat of a ‘foreign’ concept to Western culture; it is antithetical to the media – encouraged and socially enforced ideals of beauty and sexuality. It confuses people, and confusion – when not quenched by self-education – breeds ignorance, which gives rise to the very fear that fuels such debate.

To dictate what a woman cannot wear is as impudent and oppressive as it is to dictate what a woman must wear.

Those who support a Niqab ban – be they far right fascists (who would probably rather all Muslims in general revoke their ‘Muslimness’ entirely) or the overly eager far left, plagued with saviour complex – all seem to be missing an aching irony: to dictate what a woman cannot wear is as impudent and oppressive as it is to dictate what a woman must wear.

It goes without saying that the Niqab is sadly not a matter of choice for many Muslim women around the world. Yet, contrary to what the likes of the English Defence League would have one believe, the vast majority of Muslims around the world do not support such derogatory contempt for a female’s free will, any more than they support terrorism, female genital mutilation or child brides.

It remains an irrefutable fact that many women can, and do, choose to wear the Niqab and for a plethora of reasons, at that. Some see it as an outward manifestation of inner piety. Some simply believe it to be religiously mandated (although many more do not). Some see the absolute rejection of pressures to conform to a particular fashion sense and body image.

It is highly patronising to assume that all women who cover their face, do so due to force. Furthermore, it is nothing but arrogant to presume that Muslim women, even in this ‘safe haven’ of the West – which itself is not devoid of misogyny – are not able to make such decisions for themselves. Ironically, it is at the hands of intrusively inquisitive strangers, who insistently assume that my father/husband/brother forced me to cover that I (and many other Muslim women) experience more ‘oppression’ than from family pressure or religious dogma.

Let’s not pretend that this debate arose from genuine concern about women’s rights. There is clearly an anti-Islam dimension to such discussions. Certain newspapers, for example, seem to be exercising selective feminism: suggesting that the Niqab is abhorrent, archaic and draconian, yet simultaneously refusing to tackle the issues of female degradation and objectification in their own consistent publication of ‘page 3’.

It is nothing but arrogant to presume that Muslim women […] are not able to make decisions for themselves.

In a liberal democracy, is it correct to shackle the free will of others, in order to maintain the one-dimensional ideals of the majority? A poll by the Sun newspaper recently estimated that 61% of people support an outright ban of the Niqab.

This frighteningly echoes a ‘tyranny of the masses’ which should be antithetical to a multicultural, liberal democracy such as ours.

The very idea of a Niqab ban is futile. It will not ‘liberate’ Muslim women, but criminalise them. It will force Muslim women into a position whereby religious and national identities suddenly become mutual exclusives. After all, it is not only immigrant females who wear the Niqab, but also many British Muslims – including converts.

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Header Image courtesy of: Flickr/Shemer