France’s hijab ban is a reminder Islamophobia is still present.
- Naysa Seth
- Apr 18, 2021
- 2 min read
A hijab is a headscarf, worn by many Muslim women in public places. It is an integral part of their culture, religion and heritage, yet its very existence seems to bother many. The use of a simple piece of cloth, that to others is purely superficial, but to the people wearing them is a connection to their roots, is such a distraction, that the French Senate has banned women under 18 from wearing a hijab in public.
The French Senate sees it such that wearing a hijab is a form of ‘oppression’ against women. Ironically, oppression is telling a woman what she can and can’t do with her body, whether it be taking clothes off, or putting more on, this ban serves only to further facilitate subjugation against them. Furthermore, the legal age of consent to sex in France is 15, while the legal age to wear a hijab is 18. Clearly, the Senate isn’t trying to fight the supposed inferiority of women against men, but rather propagate the inferiority of Muslims within their country.
This move hasn’t come out of thin air, but is a part of Paris’s push to introduce an ‘anti-Semitism bill, however, the only thing they’re succeeding to do currently, is further alienate their Islamic population in a so-called ‘secular’ country. Despite what the Senate says about ‘freeing oppressed women’, this ban comes down to two, very basic points: One, pure, unadulterated Islamophobia as well as separatism, and two, the obsessive urge to constantly regulate a woman’s clothing, body, and way of life. The senate may justify what they’re doing, may sugarcoat it by saying that they’re releasing all the ‘oppressed’ woman of France, and can commend themselves on their excellently carried out ‘reformative’ work, but the truth is that they are prejudiced people, who have made up their own idea of ‘secularism’ that doesn’t include minorities, such as Muslims. As they continue to move forward, talking about ‘inclusiveness’, ‘anti-Semitism’ and ‘superiority of women’ one can’t help but wonder whether they need the assistance of a dictionary instead of a position of power.
Many people have spoken out about this issue, being especially vocal on social media, however, the Senate’s stance remains unaffected. The ban has restricted the sense of self-autonomy that Muslim women have, forcing them to give up consequential parts of their culture and religion, which may have negative impacts mentally, as these women are, once again, despite it’s denial, oppressed.
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