Egypt's veiled presenter in breakthrough TV appearance

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

A woman presenter has appeared on Egypt's TV in Islamic headscarf for what is believed to be first time since the state channel opened in 1960.

Fatima Nabil wore a cream-coloured headscarf as she read a news bulletin.

Under the regime of ex-President Hosni Mubarak there was an unofficial ban on women presenters covering their hair.

But the new Muslim Brotherhood-led government has introduced new rules, saying that nearly 70% of Egyptian women wear the headscarf.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19460279

[enlightenment]

1. I suspect this comment won't go down well here,

but (as a woman) I don't find this a step forward for equality. I understand it is a choice, but I have a feeling that soon it will become a 'choice' in the same way that wearing a headscarf was a choice under Mubarak - only reversed.

Then, if a woman chose to wear a headscarf, she was not allowed in front of the camera. It will not surprise me at all if pretty soon women who choose not to wear the headscarf are not allowed in front of the camera.

Creeping, government-sanctioned religiosity rarely works to the advantage of women.

[riderinthestorm]

2. +1. I'll join you in the unpopular corner. nt

[robinlynne]

3. i think most of us agree with you.

[w4rma]

4. It's a step backward for equality. Women will become afraid to go on TV without one. (nt)

[joshcryer]

5. One step forward, two steps back.

The key is that they at least have the possibility in the future to step forward some more. But we'll see if it happens.

[pennylane100]

6. Hands up those who saw this coming.

[Ash_F]

7. You would be surprised how many would agree with you.

That was a well reasoned and sincere post, completely absent of the coy bigotry people love to post in these threads. The revolution is empowering the masses, but with that the conservatives are empowered as well. I hope to see a secular democracy, but that will take time. Reversing the revolution and putting the cronies and generals back charge will only push that day further away.

[idwiyo]

8. +1