Niqab Oppression Research Paper

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said earlier this year that the full veil, such as the niqab or the burqa, "hurts the dignity of women and is not acceptable in French society" (Aljazeera). In opposition to the critics' argument, Alveena Malik, a former faith adviser to the last Labour government , believes, Britain needs to take a different direction from others in Europe and to accept the veil as part of a modern British way of life(Ross). She also believes that the religious practice of the Islamic face veil should be a fundamental right. By giving Muslims the fundamental right of practicing their religion, it would give them the right to express their freedom and religion. If Britain decided to deprive the Muslims of their fundamental right like France did, then Britain would be trying to force the Muslims that participate in wearing the Islamic face veil to conform to their society like France as well. The government says that the reason for the ban on the Islamic face veil is because of security and the values or beliefs of the country in which the Muslims reside in. For instance: France says that the ban may cause France to be a target of terrorism. If France is concerned about the security of the citizens and knows that banning the Islamic face veil would cause a potential problem of terrorism, it seems like France would

Politicians in Quebec have passed a controversial religious neutrality bill which would require people receiving and giving services to expose their faces and could mean that the Muslim niqab or burqa could be banned in public.

First of all, women are forced to wear niqabs wherever they go in public. A niqab is a veil that women wear that covers every part of their body except for

“The Hijab limits me from doing certain things. When I have the Hijab on…as a Muslim woman, I consider myself basically representing the whole community” (Ruby 29). Aspects like this set this woman apart from her peers because she is now labeled as just one thing, a Muslim, when in fact she is much more than that. Women who wear the Hijab, Muhajibah, living in the western world, I believe, have it harder than they do living back home. Here, they are subject to a lot more attention when not necessary such as weird looks walking down the street and subject to stereotypes ie. being a terrorist. Islamic women are not the only ones being oppressed by their choice of clothing; in fact every woman around the world is target towards oppression. Islamic women are just targeted more than women of other religions. This is because of the strict faith that they endure from the Qu’ran telling them that they need to dress a certain way. However, it has been debated that the Qu’ran actually doesn’t mention anything about a women needing to wear a Hijab to be a good Muslim. (Kawaji)

Apart from that, polls were also against Harper throughout most of the election. According to CBC(2015), Harper’s personal ratings in British Columbia and Ontario were poor in July 2015, two provinces that were key to his victory in 2011. In October, during the campaign, his approval ratings reached new lows during the campaign, with 49% against him, according to Abacus Data. With poor prospects for Harper, some voters may strategically vote for other parties instead of Harper. Apart from strategic voting, some say that “voter fatigue” may also have led to a loss of votes for Harper since many want “change,” as stated by polls conducted by CTV News(2015), suggesting that 66% people said they were ready for a change.

The burqa should be banned because it can cover up some people’s abuse incidents. Domestic violence has been reported from eighty-five to ninety percent for women that do not wear their burqa out in public. Most of the women who wear their burqa out in public are forced to by their husbands. Additionally, research indicated that wear of the burqa can lead skin problems, hearing loss, headaches, and other health issues to the women who wear them. The burqa has also been linked to depression, claustrophobia, and anxiety.

Having lived my whole life by the teachings of the Islamic faith, I understand the appreciations and values associated with the Hijab. However, also living in Canada, a pro-western society, I also see how some might see it as an oppression set upon Muslim women; objectively isolating them from the rest of society. I believe that the Hijab means much more than just a piece of cloth covering a woman’s hair. It represents their identity and their pride. It is considered to be the flag of their way of life, their religion. Unfortunately, people of other cultures see it as a horrific tradition of the past that degrades a woman’s rights and freedoms.

Candidates for citizenship wearing a full or partial face covering must be identified during the oath taking ceremony, otherwise they will not receive a certificate of citizenship. Ishaq would not remove her religious headwear and contested that being forced to remove her niqab is unconstitutional under ss. 2, and ss. 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. After review, the demand “those wearing a full or partial face covering that now is the time to remove it” in section 16.7 of the Manual of citizenship and immigration was deemed unlawful, and Ishaq was awarded $2500.00 (Ishaq v. Canada, 2015).

“I wear it to work. I wear it to school,” she told The Signal about her niqab. “Many people have this misconception that, as Muslim women, we’re oppressed or forced to wear it. For me, it’s a choice. My parents never forced me to wear it.”

With so many religions, it may be difficult for some to understand what it means for Muslim women to veil. The purpose of veiling is a duty they are called upon and that is to obey their God. Many people believe in something, be it aliens, ghosts, the higher spirit, or their own God, one’s faith should not be judged. In addition, Canada clearly defined that it is unlawful to be a racist to one’s Religious beliefs in order to become a Citizen of Canada. It has been said, Gods and people can look through from one side to the other (Ellwood, Robert S., and Barbara A. McGraw. 5 print). Which could possibly lead for one to show respect to one’s faith and to understand their faith without

The hijab and niqab are headscarves that are worn by Muslim women. The hijab is a veil covering worn by Muslim women to cover themselves within the public and it is to represent their faith the Islam while being modest (Litchmore, 2016). Another popular article of clothing that is in the Muslim community is the niqab which is like the hijab except the woman would cover their face as well, with the same purpose as the hijab. According to the Survey of Muslims in Canada 2016, over half of the Muslim population choose to wear some sort of headscarf. There are many reasons why Muslim women choose to wear the hijab or niqab, such as it represents their devotion to Islam. But most importantly it is a symbol of modesty for these women and is part of their identity.

Multiculturalism has always been perceived as one of the integral components of Canadian Culture . Under the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, Canadian citizens are free to exercise their religious and cultural practices . However, niqab ban takes effect in some public aspects of Canada . Supporters of the ban believes that wearing niqab is not a part of the Canadian Culture and should be banned in order to free Muslim Women from oppression . Niqab ban, however, infringes on the religious and cultural freedom instilled in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom and is unlawful . A careful examination on Canadian culture and laws, the origins and arguments of the ban, and its implications is needed in order to further understand the issue.

A nun can be covered from head to toe in order to devote herself to god. But when a Muslim woman does the same she is being oppressed. It may be argued that wearing a burqa benefits only a few and brings more harm than good to society. The real question is who does it harm? That should be the basis for banning this piece of clothing, not one based on fear or an arguably feeble argument that the women do not have a choice. To say that a ban on a specific item like this is undemocratic is an understatement. Following the French senate’s unanimous vote in favour of banning the burqa in late 2010, many European and western countries including Belgium and Spain have made the decision to take the

Here in the United States, some individuals think that by wearing a hijab you are you enforcing the belief that Muslim women are being forced to wear one despite the reason that some of these women wear it’s a sign of freedom. Therefore, it appears that to some women, the veil is unjust; while other women feel it is not unjust but a decision they made on their own in dedication to their religion. Still, for many women especially the ones in Western countries, they have no choice and for that reason alone, they are being made to wear a

An individual’s identity can differ depending on several different physical and biological factors including sexuality, gender, age and class. Throughout Ruby Tabassum’s article entitled Listening to the Voices of Hijab, identity is related to gender in a number of ways. I have decided to discuss this specific article because the idea of how femininity is portrayed is a significant aspect of Canadian culture nowadays. I am also interested in focusing on how the identities of Muslim women are recognized in society and how individuals interpret the meaning behind wearing the hijab. Throughout this article, I have distinguished several different reasons for wearing