"Hijab" is the modern term for the traditional veil which has been worn by Muslim women for centuries and today's hijab bears little resemblance to the veils seen in old Hollywood films. Some believers use a simple headscarf while others wear extensive coverings called burqas, chadors, boushiyas, or niqabs -- garments which cover the entire face and have become highly controversial.
Hijab is Arabic, it literally translates a "screen" or "covering." It doesn't refer to specific clothing but to the belief that a devout Muslim woman should be covered in public. As Muslims have grown to be a significant segment of Europe's population, a clash of cultures has brought about bans on hijab attire in several countries. The common reasons given by governments are security-related. Governments assert that the ever-present threat of terrorism requires them to know who is who. Muslims respond with allegations of persecution and denial of religious freedom. France has held the longest and most public debate, which began in 1989, when three schoolgirls who refused to remove their veils were suspended. Similar incidents lead to a 1994 government memo defining overt and covert religious symbols, the former being unacceptable. French courts have split about evenly between upholding and overturning suspensions based on that memo. In 2010, France passed a law prohibiting full-face coverings, justifying it on security grounds and as a protection of civil rights in a culture that depends on facial expression in social interaction. This ban wasn't limited to the burqa nor was it directed at Muslims, it includes masks, balaclavas and other non-religious clothing.
However, that law's application to Muslim tradition remains divisive. Ban supporters call the veil a sign of women's submission to men and cite the damage they feel overt religious symbols cause to French societal unity. Opponents cite France's history of equality and freedom of expression. They also point to what they call a double standard -- French feminists supported the veil in Algeria but oppose the same custom in France.
As the French debate, similar discussions challenge other countries: Belgium's first ban was set in place in 2004 by the town of Maaseik; it became national in 2011. No legislated federal ban exists Germany, but some German states have imposed bans on teachers and there is one de facto nation-wide ban -- for safety reasons, females are not allowed to drive wearing burqas. Kosovo banned headscarfs in 2009 to encourage secularism in their society, which spurred protests but no talk (so far) of repeal. The Netherland's ban, enacted in 2009, includes several exceptions, including religious buildings, holidays, work-related covers and travelers passing through airports.
In other countries, debate has not yet reached the national stage nor been resolved by law or the courts. Feelings on personal issues always run high and, as Muslim immigration into Europe continues, this debate is also certain to continue.
Hijab is Arabic, it literally translates a "screen" or "covering." It doesn't refer to specific clothing but to the belief that a devout Muslim woman should be covered in public. As Muslims have grown to be a significant segment of Europe's population, a clash of cultures has brought about bans on hijab attire in several countries. The common reasons given by governments are security-related. Governments assert that the ever-present threat of terrorism requires them to know who is who. Muslims respond with allegations of persecution and denial of religious freedom. France has held the longest and most public debate, which began in 1989, when three schoolgirls who refused to remove their veils were suspended. Similar incidents lead to a 1994 government memo defining overt and covert religious symbols, the former being unacceptable. French courts have split about evenly between upholding and overturning suspensions based on that memo. In 2010, France passed a law prohibiting full-face coverings, justifying it on security grounds and as a protection of civil rights in a culture that depends on facial expression in social interaction. This ban wasn't limited to the burqa nor was it directed at Muslims, it includes masks, balaclavas and other non-religious clothing.
However, that law's application to Muslim tradition remains divisive. Ban supporters call the veil a sign of women's submission to men and cite the damage they feel overt religious symbols cause to French societal unity. Opponents cite France's history of equality and freedom of expression. They also point to what they call a double standard -- French feminists supported the veil in Algeria but oppose the same custom in France.
As the French debate, similar discussions challenge other countries: Belgium's first ban was set in place in 2004 by the town of Maaseik; it became national in 2011. No legislated federal ban exists Germany, but some German states have imposed bans on teachers and there is one de facto nation-wide ban -- for safety reasons, females are not allowed to drive wearing burqas. Kosovo banned headscarfs in 2009 to encourage secularism in their society, which spurred protests but no talk (so far) of repeal. The Netherland's ban, enacted in 2009, includes several exceptions, including religious buildings, holidays, work-related covers and travelers passing through airports.
In other countries, debate has not yet reached the national stage nor been resolved by law or the courts. Feelings on personal issues always run high and, as Muslim immigration into Europe continues, this debate is also certain to continue.
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