On Sunday “This Morning” bravely hosted a debate that has filled the air of newsrooms, offices, homes and parliaments. A debate with so many arguments, counter arguments and counter-counter arguments that on any given day it is unsure which side of the fence we are on. Are we being racist, patriotic, understanding, defensive? Even the idea that we are conforming to our Neanderthal routes has been dragged into mix. In the end, I could only stand on the sides so long. So it’s time to tackle this whole burqa thing once and for all – probably.
One of the weakest arguments I have come across to ban the burqa (the entire face and body concealed , leaving just a mesh screen to see through) or the niqab (a veil for the face that only leaves the area around the eyes clear) is that such clothing covers up domestic violence. Really? Because I’m pretty sure that if you were beating your other half a government ban on what they could wear would not change the fact you got as kick out of it and did it to make you feel big and strong. “Oh darling, I’ve been beating you for years but now I can’t hide your bruises behind a burqa means I’m going to have to be a loving husband to you from now on.” 1 in 8 women experience abuse yearly where jeans and jumpers are just as covering. In the end I’d hope that we had better systems in place to deal with domestic violence than ‘don’t wear that because then we can’t all have a good gander’.
Another flimsy argument for a ban is this notion of aiding security. Have there been bank robbers dressed up in burqas? Yes. Does this warrant a ban? No. Criminals conceal their faces with all manner of clothing which is why you can’t wear a crash helmet in banks or post offices. But we’re forgetting that criminals hold up banks with weapons, not lack of identity and I’m less concerned with someone hiding their face than hiding a handgun - something done just as easily in a bag or down the trousers (which is a favourite if I’m to believe Michael Cain) - than getting a clear view of the convicts face as he wields a shotgun in my own.
There is, however, cause for concern when the burqa enters schools, hospitals, police stations and, well, anywhere where human interaction is an imperative. How can a nurse create trust when her patients can’t see the care on her face? How does a policeman understand the seriousness of an incident when he can’t see trouble in the victims’ eyes? How does the teacher get her students excited about a subject when they can’t see her own enthusiasm? Arguments suggesting that the niqabs empowers women to be judged more by their opinions and minds than their looks is a fallacy in a society where facial communication is unavoidable and crucial.
In fact, this is where the whole debate came from when Jack Straw asked a woman to remove her veil during a meeting. It is difficult. A friend of mine works on a student expulsion committee and finds it impossible to communicate effectively with those in veils. I was watching the TV when I suddenly realised the woman in a niqab on screen was talking and I wasn’t just listening to recorded narration. We’ve known how important the face is, which is why police helmets are designed to cover the eyebrows to limit the expressions. The simple fact is that when it comes to communication we need to see the face.
And just when you think you’ve arrived at some sort of decision Freedom of Choice throws itself into the argument. People in this country have the right to express themselves as they wish and have the choice to wear what the want. Fact? Well, no. Because freedom is not a riot shield to hide behind one minute only to batter your oppressor with the next. Freedom is there to build a safe, cohesive and better society by being open and explorative and, well, free; not an excuse to shut yourself off from the world and exclude you from taking part. If society and the state are to be open and transparent then you must be too. The burqa and the niqab are not forms of expression but barriers to the outside world.
So this is where I should probably come to some from of conclusion. My personal feeling is that you can’t ban the niqab and the burqa. Not because I feel people should be able to do what they want and wear what they please but because it doesn’t solve the problem of having individuals brazenly shutting themselves off from society. It is up to local people and groups to decide. The government should be there to back up the hospital and the school when they say their staff shouldn’t cover their face.
People should also be able to voice their discomforts without being accused of Islamaphobia. Covering your face is contrary to British culture and society. It is a sign of aggression and fear and, though it may feel liberating and empowering to some the wearers, it is a selfish act which puts you on the fringes of society.
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