In France, there has been a great deal of controversy over the so-called "burqa ban," which bans the wearing of Islamic face coverings such as burqas and niqabs.
The law was purportedly put in place because in many areas, women and children are forced to wear burqas against their wills and in many cases are beaten if they choose not to. The idea is that if burqas were no longer allowed in public, this would not occur.
Naturally, this sparked a considerable amount of debate. Even if the bill is well-intentioned, many have argued that making it so Islamic face coverings can't be worn is a violation of religious freedom.
The Spectrum also feels this way. This law essentially tells people they are not allowed to express their religion. Consider the fact that many French women choose to wear burqas. Is it really fair to tell them they can't practice their religious beliefs because France claims to be "protecting" other women? It hardly seems so.
What really makes this law problematic is that it targets Islam specifically. It would be one thing if there was a rule banning face coverings of any kind, or perhaps any form of religious headwear, but that is not the case.
It seems wrong to make a rule banning one form of religious clothing, but not others. What makes a yarmulke more acceptable than a burqa? It's an unfair double standard.
Additionally, the notion that this bill is made with the interests of women in mind seems dubious, to say the least. No one would deny that it's wrong to force women to wear any article of clothing, but it seems equally wrong to tell them they can't wear it. This bill might want the best for women, but all it's going to do is subjugate them further.
Finally, when looking at the history of anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant sentiment in France, it is not a major stretch to think French legislators may have an ulterior motive in passing the bill. While it can't be assumed that the bill was made specifically to take a stand against Islam, it is a reasonable suspicion.
Of course, regardless of the motive for the law, it is still wrong. It imposes unreasonable restrictions on both women and Muslims. Even if it does prevent some women from being forced to wear a burqa, it also restricts the rights of many other Muslim women in France. Well-intentioned or not, it is simply wrong.
