Debunking the Basis of French Bans on Islamic Dress
Traditional Islamic dress includes three Muslim veils. The hijab is the most commonly worn headscarf in the West and is considered to be highly integrated into the Islamic culture (Facing History and Ourselves, 2020).
The trajectory of Islamic dress within modern society has led to public distrust toward the hijab due to complex cultural differences. Keep in mind that France has the largest number of Muslims in the Western world (Pew Research Center, 2017). This is relevant information, as French lawmakers have deemed the hijab anti-progressive and uncivilized due to the veil’s segregated notions of gender inequality (Samari, 2016). The basis for the legal construction and political paradigm around the hijab is connected to stereotypical views on the Islamic religion’s patriarchal values. This opinion determines that male dominance over women is enforced in Islamic ideology, including women’s dress.
However, powerful French politicians are actively enforcing dominance over women by taking away the right to choose what they wear on their bodies. In this rationale, is the rejection of women’s rights a part of France’s own ideology?
THE FACTS
In recent months, a decade-long debate has resurfaced to address the Islamic Scarf Controversy in France. The issue derives from a 2011 French ban on full-face veil coverings. Under the 2012 ban, women cannot leave the house in a full-face veil, without risking a fine. Additionally, French lawmakers outlawed the modest swimsuit known as a “burkini” in public pools and beaches. At the time, officials argued that the ban’s basis was associated with “public security, social hindrance to society, and French values related to liberty and women’s dignity, to uphold France’s secular values.” On March 31, 2021 the French Senate voted in favor of an additional ban that prohibits “any conspicuous religious sign by minors and of any dress or clothing which would signify an interiorization of women over men.” The hijab, a headscarf worn by many Muslim women, is included in this ban and is not to be worn by women under the age of 18 or in public schools. The law still has to be confirmed by the National Assembly.
As we await the ruling, critics from around the world argue that the ban disproportionately targets Muslim women and further stigmatizes Islamic culture. In accordance with this position, the headscarf controversy shows the paradox of a law that claims to ensure social cohesion and the empowerment of women, while the ban itself asserts that the French government is the true oppressor on Muslim women. Hence, the rise of #handsoffmyhijab.
#HANDSOFFMYHIJAB
Muslim feminists who wear the hijab as part of a recent #handsoffmyhijab movement have stated that their liberation lies within the choice to wear the hijab, not the hijab itself. These feminists have proclaimed that Muslim traditions can coexist in modern society, utilizing the hijab to keep their culture and preserve their rights while educating the public.
The veil has been used to change the narrative of the hijab’s symbolism and pivot from suppression to empowerment. The movement emphasizes that a Muslim woman’s experience with the hijab cannot be generalized. Because of Western culture’s tendency to rely on selective perceptions to understand the hijab, muslim feminists use dress to enforce a wider conversation regarding women’s rights. Islamic feminists acknowledge women who feel liberated from wearing the hijab or not wearing the hijab. To sum it up, these feminists are emphasizing that the common good is to eliminate both mandatory forced veiling codes and bans against veiling. This refers to both Western and Eastern countries, particularly France. Either way, East or West, there is some kind of cultural pressure, social restriction, or legal ban on muslim women’s right to choose to wear a hijab or not. The issue is a muslim woman’s right to choose. In France’s own promotion of equality, the French government has robbed muslim women the right to equality. In essence, the foundation of the ban contradicts the reason for the ban itself.
LIBERATION IN DRESS: RECENT FEMINIST MOVEMENTS
First and foremost, I’d like you to consider recent feminist movements that you are probably familiar with such as the 2012 global gender equality campaign dubbed “Free the Nipple,” a group of individuals that came together to emphasize women's rights to choose how they display their bodies in Western society. Women behind the “Free the Nipple” campaign were seeking liberation through dress, (or lack thereof.)
Now, I’d like you to consider a campaign that shares the same goal. Instead of uncovering, Muslim women are campaigning for their right to cover their bodies. “Free the Nipple” activists and the women behind #handsoffmyhijab are both advocating for a women’s right to choose how they display their bodies. Currently, France is denying Muslim women this constitutional right. France continues to face public scrutiny with critics claiming that the law is counterproductive to the country’s secular ideals.
France my dear, you have a Feminist movement on the rise.
FEMINISM AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES: CHALLENGING OUR MODE OF THINKING
As I conclude, would you say that the decision to wear a hijab shares the same goal of other feminist movements in modern society? Can the hijab be used as a different interpretation of feminism, one that challenges the expectation of undressing? The #handsoffmyhijab movement is an effort to reject mainstream society’s simplistic assumptions of feminism, empowerment, independence, and political activism. The decision to wear a hijab is being used as a tool to show that there is no one definition of feminism and to educate us on the relevance of self-contradicting government restrictions. Preserving ethnic identity, freedom of expression, and/or religious devotion are included in these political, social, and cultural motivators to wear the hijab today.
In recent days, we have seen a proliferation of social media protests against the ‘hijab ban.’ Public figures and social media influencers have contributed to the conversation, so don’t be afraid to immerse yourself in this rising feminist movement.
@rawdis: Rawdah Mohamed, a supermodel and activist, posts a selfie with “hands off my hijab” written on her hand, initiating a trending campaign across media platforms. The selfie went viral, in an effort to “fight deeply rooted stereotypes” against Muslim women
@najwazebian: Najwa Zebian is a Lebanese-Canadian activist, author, poet, educator, and speaker- tweets about the hijab ban.
@muslimgirl: muslimgirl.com, the leading online platform for Muslim women’s voices in Western society. Founder @amani (Amani Al-Khatahtbeh,) writer and tech entrepreneur, and an expert on the subject speaks on the issue. Fun fact: Al-Khatahtbeh created #MuslimWomensDay back in 2017.