To wear, or not to wear…the Niqab.

(C) Resmi 17

Nicolas Sarkozy has developed a knack of inflaming opinion since his arrival in office as President of the Republique Francais in 2007.  He’s offended the Muslims, the Africans, the parents of suicidal offspring…and the Muslims again, with his latest remark about the Niqab not being welcome in French society.

Is he right or is he wrong? I think it comes down to how exactly he defines ‘French society’. It may have helped if he would have made this distinction clear in his speech.

If by French society, he means the pubic sphere, i.e. anywhere outside of the home, then I think he has a point. Well, half a point. As a liberal society, promoting liberal values and freedom of choice, it should go without saying that whoever wants to wear the Niqab has the freedom to choose to do so. The argument becomes about when someone wearing this dress is asked to remove the garb on entering one’s school, pub, park, workplace…whatever.

Take the case of the Muslim teacher who accompanied two students to visit a sixth form college in Blackburn earlier this week. When asked to remove the clothing, they refused. Ultimately though, whilst we advocate a woman’s right to wear this dress, we must also respect the rights of property owners to refuse entry to anyone at their discretion.

Pubs, clubs, schools and most places reserve the right to refuse admission or remove individuals from their property, often without explanation. Whether or not simply wearing the Niqab is such a treacherous crime worthy of this consequence or not is another matter, arguably it is not, but if we are promoting liberal freedoms and values then it must be recognised that it is not so unreasonable to request that this is not worn on their property. After all, you wouldn’t walk into a shop with a balaclava on and a sack over your shoulder with a dollar sign, would you?

Ok, I hear you shout, it’s hardly the same. But the points I am alluding to are twofold: it can be an intimidating form of clothing, though one might fairly argue that this is only true of the over sensitive. But the over sensitive argument can be flung the other way. And the second key point is that it can be taken advantage of, in fact, it has been taken advantage of in the past. One of the 7/7 bombers escaped wearing a Niqab.

People should be free to wear what they want in their own homes. Ironically, those women who truly are being forced against their will to do so will probably do so stuck in their houses, rather than wonder around in public. But as this liberal society, property owners also have the right to request that one does not enter their property wearing the Niqab if they so wish.

The bottom line is that we are all liberals. Therefore the right to wear the Niqab is just as important as the right to refuse to allow someone onto your property wearing the garb.