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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDanish Muslim Women Protest As Ban On Face Veils Enters Full Force
Protesters gathered in the capital city of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmarks second-largest city, to condemn the government for a law they claim infringes on womens rights to freedom of expression and religion.
Some of the hundreds of Muslim and non-Muslim Danes who attended the Copenhagen protests flouted the new ban by wearing the niqab, an Islamic face veil that leaves the eye area open, Reuters reported. Others wore the body-length burqa, which covers the eyes with a mesh screen. Muslim women who do not wear face veils also participated in the protests.
Danish police told Reuters that people who wear face veils during a peaceful protest are exempt from the ban. As a result, they said none of Wednesdays protesters will be punished for veiling as part of the protest.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/danish-muslim-women-protest-as-ban-on-face-veils-enters-full-force_us_5b61ea77e4b0b15aba9f24b0
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)Misogyny v. Freedom of Religion.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)Personally, I am anti-Niqab, anti-Chador, anti-Burkha. The purpose they serve is repressive, no matter the rationale. Allah/God/Yahweh doesn't give a flying fuck if it sees your hair.
But the State should not compel clothing, and this law probably has roots in Anti-Immigrant reactionary politics, which I oppose reflexively. Muslim women should be free to embrace the most misogynistic aspects of their religion.
There is no good solution.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)And quite a good and thoughtful take.
Lots to consider here, certainly.
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)That's why it's irrelevant.
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)Discussion seems to have gone a bit off the rails over there.
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)there's no resolution - the niqab is misogyny, the ban of niqabs is misogyny.
those were the kind of threads that made me hate DU back in 2016. I used to think I was arguing with Russians but man, that issue gets DU in a fighting mood like nothing else. I recognize several of the participants.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Though I think it is precisely what you describe that makes it such an interesting and thought-provoking situation to think about and discuss (recognizing, however, that it may not be possible to have such a conversation here).
malaise
(269,054 posts)With those habits and gross clothing?
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)You're already accusing me of hypocrisy or something and all I said was "here we go again".
DU's been through the wars on this topic, no? Was it ever resolved?
malaise
(269,054 posts)I was taught by lots of face covered nuns. I laughed at them but after a while, you don't even notice them.
I'm not covering my face for religion or misogyny. I honestly don't know which is worse - religion or patriarchy, but to each her/ his own.
maxsolomon
(33,345 posts)Nuns, I would point out, are in Religious orders. To me that's a difference of degree.
Nuns never wore Niqabs - face veils. Basically, they wore Hijabs.
WillowTree
(5,325 posts)I never heard of any order of nuns whose habits covered their faces. Not saying it never was, but I've been Catholic for 69 years and that's a new one on me.
EDITED TO ADD: Well I'll be. Just did a search and there they were. Apparently this old lady still has things to learn.
Sorry if that sounded like a challenge.
obnoxiousdrunk
(2,910 posts)face covered nun.