Ban the Burkini

[Regina]

Freedom of expression and womens' rights includes the right of an individual Muslim woman to not be told how to dress by anyone other than herself. Whether you're another Muslim who wants her to cover up, or someone else who wants her to strip down, it's not your decision to make and you need to let it go.

It's so petty.

That woman probably grew up in a fundamentalist Muslim community (which is most of who wear burkinis). Her whole life: She's been told that she'll burn in hell if she disobey's Islamic law, she's been told to always obey her father as part of that law, then told to always obey her husband. She's been told (in the best case scenario) that her family and community will disown her if she leaves Islam. She's been forced by her family to dress a certain way since puberty and before she was 18. Probably married extremely young.

Choice being made by herself is only is only in the very loosest of sense. Meanwhile how is her Husband dressed? Islam supposedly mandates modesty from both sexes, but 9 times out of 10 her husband is in western clothes, able to enjoy himself on the beach like a normal human. Although I don't believe in banning it, I can thoroughly say 'fuck the Burkini.'

I'm not saying none of this is true

Although I don't know how much I see that "the woman is covered while the man is Western" thing, if I'm honest. Typically, when I see a Muslim woman fully burka'd out (I'm talking the full black tent, with the letter-box face covering), her husband is in the traditional dress as well. I do normally see that.

But hey, if you see what you said about the husband being dressed normally while she's in a full black curtain, feel free to point it out and discuss it. I'm not saying we're not allowed to have an opinion, to comment, to discuss it. I think the subject actually needs an open dialogue if we're going to discourage it, but we can't force it.

What you can't do is police the issue and literally force a Muslim woman to strip down, and just for other peoples' comfort rather than her own too. Completely regardless of whether she started wearing the hijab by social pressure or by her own choice, she is probably used to dressing like that, and suddenly forcing her to strip in public is very embarrassing and uncomfortable for her.

I'll be honest, I actually do hate the idea behind hijab. I genuinely do think it's a horrible oppressive idea, that a woman must completely cover herself in public just to not sexually arouse men. It is victim-blaming shit. However, like I said earlier, it's something you have to gradually discourage in a natural way through open conversation and narratives. Shoe-horning your opinions onto everyone through forced laws isn't going to suddenly change peoples' minds overnight.