Should the Burka (Burqa) be Banned in the UK?
When most people in Britain use the word burka, they are usually thinking of a niqab, which covers the face but has a slit for the eyes. A burka is similar, but the slit for the eyes is replaced by a mesh. Some people confuse a burka with a hijab, which is basically a scarf which covers the head, but not the face.
Niqab
The important point is that we are talking about a garment which covers the face and any ban should include all other face coverings, such as masks, balaclavas, full-face crash helmets etc., but there may be extra arguments for or against the burka/niqab in particular.
Arguments For a Ban
- Security.
- Causes offence.
- Impedes Social Interaction.
- Some women forced to wear them.
- Can be worn as a political statement.
There are obviously times when a person's face needs to be seen for security and identification purposes, for example in airports, banks, or when stopped by the police for whatever reason. This applies to any headwear that makes it difficult or impossible to see the face. for me, this is the most important reason for a (partial) ban.
Causes Offence
Some people would like to see the burka banned because they find it offensive. It's a bit like my local supermarket banning dressing gowns and pyjamas (yes, they did) because wearing them might make other customers feel uncomfortable. I find the burka offensive, but that's my problem and not a good reason for banning it. I imagine that if it became fashionable for women to walk around town in their bras and panties, some people would find that offensive, which would be their problem, and not grounds for a ban.
Impedes Social Interaction
I don't know how it works in other cultures, but being able to see the other persons face is an important part of communicating with them. It makes social interaction much easier if we can see the other persons facial expressions, and watch their mouths when they speak. How many people in this country would find it acceptable for a shop assistant, teacher, bank clerk, doctor, police officer, or witness/defendant in court to have their face covered? I would guess not many.
Some Women Are Forced To Wear Them
I believe that the majority of people in the UK, including Muslims, would find this totally unacceptable. It's one thing for a woman, for whatever reason, to choose to wear a burka, and another for her to be forced, or pressured into wearing it.
Can be worn as a political statement
In some cases a burka may be worn like a uniform, reflecting the extremist views of the wearer, like a member of the Ku Klux Klan wears a white robe and hooded hat. I find that disturbing, but don't think it's a good enough reason for a ban.
Arguments against a ban
- Religious Freedom.
- Freedom of Expression.
- Difficult to Enforce.
Religious Freedom
Most Muslim clerics agree that there is no compunction in Islam for a woman to veil her face, but some women say that they have freely chosen to wear the burka and that it is an expression of their faith, like a Christian choosing to wear a cross. In the UK, we encourage people to practice any religion they choose, or none, and try to place as few restrictions as possible on them.
Freedom of Expression
It's a free country! Unlike most, if not all, Muslim majority countries we are living in a modern democracy, which values an individuals freedom of expression. Making a particular type of clothing illegal would make many people feel uneasy, especially when such a ban affects only women of a particular religion. There are some accepted limits to what can be worn, but they aren't backed up by legislation. For example, if you wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party, you are unlikely to be awarded the first prize, and if you walked down your local high street wearing nothing, you would face some sort of backlash (but not have your back lashed).
Difficult to Enforce
Having to approach a burka-clad woman, to ask her to uncover her face, or be given an on the spot fine, would make life even more difficult for police on the beat, and possibly doubly so for Muslim officers.
Conclusion
I believe that a total ban on wearing a burka is unnecessary, but that there should be some restrictions placed on its wear, and that these restrictions should apply to all face coverings, not just those worn by Muslim women.
Such a partial ban on face coverings would have to make some things very clear. For example, the rights of employers and their employees would have to be spelt out, with employers being able to stipulate that wearing something that covers the face is not permitted for certain jobs.
In some cases, such as in a bank, it might be permissible to keep your face covered most of the time but be expected to uncover it when requested, and if you refuse to do so, be denied service/access. Where possible arrangements could be made for a veiled woman to show her face in private to another woman. Of course, this wouldn't always be easy to do, for example, when a woman driver wearing a niqab is pulled over for a traffic violation, and the police officer needs to see her face to be sure of her identity.
