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Hermus -JRG Grade 7


Debate Info

111
30
Religious Tradition Oppressive to Women
Debate Score:141
Arguments:123
Total Votes:183
Ended:02/24/12
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 Religious Tradition (94)
 
 Oppressive to Women (26)

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Hour 1 - Burqa. Religious Tradition or Oppressive to Women?

When it comes to Muslim women wearing Burqas throughout the world, do you feel that it is part of who they are and important to their religious traditions, or is it degrading, oppressive and takes away from who they are? If you are struggling to continue debate, refer to the link below

http://www.perspectivist.com/politics/the-burqa-debate-to-ban-or-not-to-ban

Religious Tradition

Side Score: 111
Winning Side!
VS.

Oppressive to Women

Side Score: 30
2 points

The burqa brings the women closer to their god, Allah, and gives them a difference and freedom compared to other people.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Matt, I agree with you becasue it is just like when Jewish people where that yamica on top of there head becasue it brings them closer to there religious god.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The burqa does make them feel like their closer to their god, Allah and when you take that away from them, it's taking away their freedom and dignity.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

A burqa is an Islamic tradditon to dress in a burqa as a statment to Islamic women. In the kuran it tells women to dress modestly well in public. And in most countries it is not required for women to wear a burqa.

Side: Religious Tradition
0 points

i agree because modestly means to not show a lot of your body in public, and most women are mad about the bans going on, and this burqa gives them dignity.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

In the koran it says women should be midly covered, in public they need to be covered, cause women before them did and because it says it the koran, they should obey or follow the koran/bible

Side: Religious Tradition
17ywei(3) Disputed
1 point

Brandon i disagree with you because the korans said that women should be midly coverd but what if they don't want to and women should get to wear what they want and not being forced and some people have different religons.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

I think that they should be able to wear whatever they want to cause how would you like it if somewon came in to your life and said what you can and can not wear. for some people its just what they do we should not care it has nothing to do with us so just lay off. and really maybe 5% of the people that wear them are really dangerous so its really not likely your going to run into one so i say they can!

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Wearing a burqa is a way to show faith in the islamic tradition, and gives women dignity and freedom. It's a part of who she is.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with you because the burqa is a way of showing who they are and how they live. And if were not letting them wear the burqas, it's like taking away freedom from them.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with Alexis because a burqa is like a part of a woman. If we take away the burqa, it's like taking away apart of all the women who wear them.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with Alexis because the burqa is a part of the womens life and it shows part of there religion and freedom.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Burqas are a religious tradition for women because it is part of what they are and how they live. Taking away the proviledge of the women wearing the burqas is like taking away freedom from them. The Burqas are a way of showing faith in the Islamic people.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Burqas are a religious right beacuse if a man forces them too. They will go to jail and have to pay a big fee.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I think that women should wear burqas because many if the women choose to wear them. Also some women fell that if you take away the burqa, you are taking away choice in what to wear. The Burqa is something that says what the women is so they want to wear it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i agree because the women in the video said that it was her religion to wear it and she wanted to wear it, and people asked if her husband was forcing her to wear it and she said no, she wanted to wear it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

and a burqa is all religious and if it says they should be midly covered with a burqa, or hijab, or something, they should obey that what is says in the koran

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The Burqa isn't a threat, it's a religious choice that women choose to take. It is their culture and they have the right to choose how they want to dress.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

There shouldn't be anyone telling the Islamic women what to wear. By banning the burqa it is taking away the freedom of these people.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Burqas have always been worn by people in their religon even before they were forced to. So they whould have never been banned.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Women should be able to wear burqas wherever whenever because they have been wearing them forever. Even in the Koran it states that women should not dress modestly. They wear it because they feel it gets them closer to god. ITs a part of who they are and who they have alwasy been.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

in the koran it says that women should be covered so i think the women (if they belive) should be able to wear them were ever but then again if they are forced by the taliban then it might not become as religious as it should be. but if the women wearing the buqas thinks its ok then thats fine.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

and in every way they have all right to wear whatever they want to its just there realigon so just let them there contry should be just as free as ours and on every site you go on the people that so they should be able to have far more facts and far more better reasons and the best one i saw that ses they should not is "they should not wear them cause they are stupid".

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Women should be able to wear burqas because its their way of women to show there dignity, here in the United States we use colors and styles to express them self, but muslan women expresss there self through showing their dignity and reaching closer to god by wearing their burqa.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i agree with jsanders cause nobody had any problem with wearing one till about ! mounth ago so it not fair for them there country should be free!

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

the taliban are making woman wear it so now that they are forced to wear it they don't like it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree its like Barac Obamo coming on live tv and telling us that we cant wear the clothers we like wearing and we all have to wear dress clothes all day it is taking away from our feedom and it would be oppresive to us. The people in France just did that to the women in France and it is not right they women want to wear the burqa and it is part of their religon.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

"Tell the faithful women that they must keep their gaze

focused below/on the ground and cover their sexual organs.

They must not put their beauty and their jewellery on display.

They must hide their breasts behind a purdah. They must

not exhibit their beauty to anybody except their husbands,

brothers, nephews, womenfolk, servants, eunuch employees

and children. They must not move their legs briskly while

walking because then much of their bodies can get

exposed." (Sura Al Noor 24:31) This is saying that women shouldn't show themselves to others and the Burqa works just for the statement

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with matt because the women are told in the koran to wear a burqa and why cant we let them have freedom ,that were trying want to give them. repect there religion because the one who fight against the burqa it almost seems they dont repect them becuase there trying to take away the religious tradition.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I think that is a really good point because if the women are supposed to cover themselves then the burqa is perfect for them. So if they are religous like they claim then they should want to wear the burqa anyway.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

the burqa is a religious part of the womens tradition to be modist and to wear somthing like the bu but do you guys who say its oppresive truly understand there beliefs to say its oppressive becuase the women say it hleps show who they are and you want to take it away the your taking there rights your so called trying to help.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Also I am not choosing a side to be on but i dont think that women should be banned or forced to wear burqas becuase some people acutally choose to be more religious than others. Its just like Christians are not forced to go to church but only some people go because they are more reiligous than others. But some women choose to wear the Burqa because they feel closer to god.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

if you dident think thay you have dignity then what would you do with yourself? i know that i would just sit at home and not do much cause i would feel that i was turning back on my rights well thats what they are feeling right now!

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree because women should be able to dress freely however they want. Nobody should be discriminated by what they wear. Islamic women wear burqas because it supports their religion. it said in the Koran that women should dress modesty. By wearing the burqa they are able to express their identity. It doesnt matter what you wear because it doesnt reflect on what type of personality the women has.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with what you said because it is a choice of freedom. nobody should feel discriminated. What if we were being banned from wearing jeans or sweatpants and we had to wear cackis.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i agree with mhank cause if they want to feel closer to god then y dont you just let them its there choice its not cause its for a bad reason its cause they think they should be as free as possible

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with 17tblom because he's right, it is there choice. Every person deserves to wear what they want. And not be discriminated. The burqa islamic women can express their identity.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

If you were to band wearing the Burqa it would be like banding christians from wearing the Cross.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i think the burqa is a great religious item and people think its a bad thing or if a women is grocery shopping some people might say they are stealing or they have a bomb or something like that, but it is a religious item that shows there inside not how they look, but how they are on the inside.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree because in the video we watched it showed the women saying "When I was buying bleach people thought I was making a bomb"... But other people in the store defended her saying she is only religious, she isn't different, or she is not a terrorist.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Burqas are sometimes viewed as bad things like terrorists or bad people but thats mostly not true like our terrorist drawings all of us drew someone with a gown and head dress and we talked about stereo-typing and thats stereo typing thinking people with gowns and head dresses are bad people.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with 17jsanders. Just because islamic women wear something that may not seem normal to you, doesnt mean that they are strange people or like 17jsanders said "terrorists".

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

there may be things that other people in the past said from famous people but they only reason people listen to them is cause they are in the high power but i bet if i was i a croud with lots of poeple and i said that nowon would take any sort of thinking of that they only remember that is cause there in a hight power

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The Islamic world is experiencing a rise in women wearing the Burqa claiming it to be part of the Islamic dress code. Whether it is worn by choice or force is open to debate as very few women are able to, or prefer not to voice an opinion on the matter. Those who have, generally argue against the compulsory (by law as in Afghanistan) wearing of this garment with a minority claiming the right to wear it citing Quranic and Prophetic instruction.

A Burqa is an outer garment worn by women in Islamic societies for the purpose of concealing their bodies and/or face. It is mostly worn when a woman leaves her home and is compelled to wear it until she returns.

The Burqa is worn throughout Middle Eastern nations and most Muslim nations around the world, with a few liberal or democratic governments being less strict about its use. One such famous example is Turkey, where secular ideas prevail and give people the freedom to choose. Meanwhile, in stricter nations, women are forced to wear the Burqa; failure to do so can result in beatings, harassment or worse. Obviously a woman wears a Burqa but more specifically, conservative practicing Muslims wear it. Girls are not mandated to wear a Burqa until she reaches puberty but this notion is not practiced, as girls as young as six are made to wear the Burqa to physically and mentally prepare them for adult life.

Burqa falls under the category of Hijab. This is an Arabic word which means to veil or cover and refers to a woman’s head and body covering. In Saudi Arabia, women wear a loose robe called abaya and a face veil called niqab, while in nations like Tunisia or Turkey; Muslim women tend to wear only a headscarf. In Iran, they take a step further and the “fashion police” mandate all women to wear loose clothing – preferably a black or white robe – when going out, women are also supposed to wear either a full face veil or scarf. One of the extremes of Burqa is the Afghan Burqa, which was enforced by the Taliban. This burqa covers the entire body in loose clothing with the face (including eyes) being covered with only a grille for the women to look through.

Side: Religious Tradition
17bprotogere Clarified
1 point

people think the burqa is a dress code, but its not, lately there has been a rise in women, very few women want to wear the burqa, but its a religious item, like the cross for us, the cross is our religious item and we all obey it, we should do the same to the burqa, think of the burqa as a islamic cross, obey, and worship it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i dont think we should juge anything about them cause if somwon in any place was wearing one and somwon told the mto take it off and the other person said it was for there realigoun that that person would say ok not no you cant wear it

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Woman should be able to choose to wear it beacuse if they do not like people seeing them then they can wear it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

"For women: Cover your chest (24:31); Lengthen your garments (33:59)" from the koran.

http://www.quran-islam.org/articles/part_3/the_burqa_(P1357).html .html)

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The french banned the burqa because they think that it takes away from the idenification of a person. The people that wear them dont think that becasue they think that it takes away from their identity if they dont wear it. As far back as anyone remembers the people have been wearing it and they dont want to just change now.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The women wear the burqas for good reason like being closer to God and they feel as though they have dignity when they wear the burqa and most people accept them like they lady said in the video people dont look at her in a mean way when she is out at the store they look at her i a curious way like i wounder why she is were that thing over her body i want to find out why she is wearing that.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i dont understand why people are against it in the first place cause from what i'v seen the men dont have one little problem with it then go cry about it! cause for thoughs who say they shouldent cause men think its alot of times pretty and there are very few that have a problem with it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Women are required to wear a burqa mostly everywhere they go. Even wear they work they're required to.

Side: Religious Tradition
17cmoore(5) Disputed
1 point

Women are not reqird to wear the burqa they like wearing the burqa they feel closer to their God and they feel as though they have dignity when they wear the burqa if they did not want to wear the burqa then they should leave the religion. Its their freedom to wear the burqa let them wear it if they want.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

A Burqa is a tradition thats in there kuran. It has a religious meaning and should be worn. All of there ancestors have worn the burqa before them and now the tradition has been passed down for centeries. Even though its called the "Black Vail" doesn't mean its threatning. Now its a part of how they live.

77% of women choose to wear the burqa. Thats a very high number that tells that the burqa is not a threat. It also says to the woman are not forced to wear it, they choose to.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with Megan because wearing a burqa is a tradition that has gone on for centuries. All they have ever really known is weaeing the burqa and that lets them feel closer to their god. It's kind of like a way of life for them.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

it dose not mater who made them whast maters is who folowed quickley somwon made school now i dont know one country that the kids dont go to school.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The main thing about this is that, by the women wearing the burqa it doesnt effect any of us. So there should not be a law against it. Many of the women that wear burqas are proud to wear them. It said on a website called: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-04/world/france.burqa.ban_1_veil-burqa-muslim-woman?_s=PM:WORLD

A women said on the top of the page "I wear the burqa for the simple reason that I am a Muslim and the Koran says that I must wear the full veil in order to be modest." She also states that she doesnt have a husband.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

The women in this article shows how women like to wear the burqa because it is apart of their religion.

Supporting Evidence: Why Women like to wear Burqas (articles.cnn.com)
Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

if anyone is notising anything there is very very few people that really have a good thing to say about what they wear and even if somewon finaly convinces the goverment to make a law to band them the people that wear them care about there realigoun so much i think they will still wear them even if the law is saying tha tthey cant.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

people who are against the burqa are trying to give freedom to choose so they ban the burqa and you think your donig good, but when you ban the burqa the people whose religious tradition it is , your destroying some peoples freedom in choice. so it seems like your destroying the peoples freedom when your trying to save it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

And if all women are covered from head to feet, there would be no need to tell them to lengthen their garments like the koran says to.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

With all of these countries trying to take away the burqa it is like trying to take away wearing your favorite color or not letting you eat your favorite food. That is how they feel when they try to take away something that they enjoy wearing and that they have always worn.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

i think that no matter what anyone is saying i think that they should have choise eoither way!

Side: Religious Tradition
0 points

I think Burqas are religious because women have been wearing them for so long and nobody said anything or complained about it until now.

Side: Religious Tradition
2 points

I agree with Justin because people just dont like it because it is dinnfrent than they are and they dont understand what it is used for.

Side: Religious Tradition
17lgoland(4) Disputed
1 point

I agree with Justin too, because people are just getting mad because they dont see Christians or Jewdism people wearing burqas.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

I think that is a good point because if no one complained until now then why is it such a big deal becouse they were forced to where it, if they wore it before anyway.

Side: Religious Tradition
0 points

Women should be aloud to wear the burqa. They have freedoms like everyone else just because they wear some thing that not everyone likes does not mean that you have to take the burqa away from them and the right to choose what they want to wear. The burqa makes the women feel closer to their God and they feel as though their creature wants them to cover their faces and hands so that would mena wearing the burqa. Women also feel as though they have dignithy when they wear the burqa. Why take the burqa away from them if the rest of society accepts them for who they are and wearing the buqa. They feel comftorable in the buqa why take it away it is part of their culture let them wear it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Burqas are oppressive to women it defeats there individual freedom and choice

Side: Oppressive to Women
17mhovell(16) Disputed
1 point

Burqas are a religious tradition because they have the choice to wear the burqas. If they didn't want to wear it then they wouldn't.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

if women have to wear burqas why dont men have to and why

Side: Oppressive to Women
17mhovell(16) Disputed
2 points

In the koran it talks about why they cover themselves. Here is the reading:

"Tell the faithful women that they must keep their gaze

focused below/on the ground and cover their sexual organs.

They must not put their beauty and their jewellery on display.

They must hide their breasts behind a purdah. They must

not exhibit their beauty to anybody except their husbands,

brothers, nephews, womenfolk, servants, eunuch employees

and children. They must not move their legs briskly while

walking because then much of their bodies can get

exposed." (Sura Al Noor 24:31)

Side: Religious Tradition
2 points

I agree with you because if women have to wear burqas why dont men have to? thats not fair at all, they should both be treated equally.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17jsanders(7) Disputed
1 point

because if women have a husband they don't want to have another guy flirting with them so they keep themselves covered so they can't see their body they can only see their eyes.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I agree with Justin because if women have to wear burqas and men do not have to wear them how is that fair? men and women should be treated equally and they are not.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

I agree with justin women has the same rights as men and men get to wear what they want but in the koran it sad that only women should wear burqa and the men and wear what they want that changes the rights of women.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17bprotogere Disputed
1 point

yes but some women actually like wearing burqas and in the koran it says women should be midly covered, and women before them had to wear a burqa, so you have to follow along with the tradition

Side: Religious Tradition
17mbuss(9) Disputed
1 point

Well in the other video we watched the women said that if she didnt wear it it defeats her individual freedom and choice. They wear it because they have always been wearing them and no one has cared until now.

Side: Religious Tradition
17cmoore(5) Disputed
1 point

It does not take away from their indiciduality the women choose to wear the burqa if they did not want to wear they burqa they would not be part of that religion and they feel as though they are closer to their God when they wear the burqa like lady said in the videos she chooses to wear the burqa she is not forfced to wear it. It does not take away form their freedom they choose to wear the burqa.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

I do agree with cory because they choose to wear the burqa. Women feel comfterable wearing these its because some people feel that they get a lot of attention wearing these and some women actually does feel that they do have more dignity.

Side: Religious Tradition
17mhank(6) Disputed
1 point

they only feel opressed when they are either forced to wear burqas or banned from their own traditions.

Side: Religious Tradition
17jkizewski(2) Disputed
1 point

If women do not want to wear the burqua they do not have to they can always exit the religion or if they live somewhere where they are required to they can just cover up there face with something else they choose to where the burqa.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Burqa is a choice of wearing but people who wants to wear it probably got used to it because they have been wear the Burqa for so long

Side: Oppressive to Women
17mkickland(3) Disputed
1 point

But Burqas are mostly a choice for women to wear and if you ban that, some women will be very unhappy because they wont have as much choice to wear what they have always worn.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Women should wear what they want because they're their own people. They have rights to. I say keep the burqas so they will be happy and if they don't want to wear the burqa they can wear something else.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

To the islamic people the burqa is somthing that they are used to wearing and they also see it as a religious Item. But the burqa is not actually in the koran or their holy book so how can the burqa be a religious item.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17mbuss(9) Disputed
1 point

But in the Koran it does say that women should not dress modestly so that means that they should stay covered up. Like you said they want to wear it and they feel it brings them closer to god so no one should have a problem with it.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

yes because then when they are wearing the burqa they are all equal.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

this is not a dress code even thought there holy boook says they should be covered I believe it has been taken to litalrly

Side: Oppressive to Women
17dlallier(5) Disputed
1 point

mabe, but then again if the person wearing the burqa believes in there religion then they would wear that type of clothing, in the koran it says that women should be covered.

Side: Religious Tradition
17mbuss(9) Disputed
1 point

You say that but to them what they are doing is right. In the Koran it says they should stay covered so that is what they do. They have always been doing it so they want to keep doing it because that is what they are used to.

Side: Religious Tradition
17afortune(5) Disputed
1 point

In the Koran it says women should be covered. If the women wearing the burqas are very involved in their religion, then they are going to do what their holy book wants them to wear. Not what other people who don't wear the burqa want them to wear.

Side: Religious Tradition
17cxiong(4) Disputed
1 point

But there holy book or koran never stated them that they have to wear a burqa. So how would they start to wear burqas.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17jsanders(7) Disputed
1 point

Women want to wear this it's not a dress code people want to wear this they say it gives them dignity.

Side: Religious Tradition
17lgoland(4) Disputed
1 point

It may not be a dress code to you but it in a way is a dress code to them. Many women do enjoy wearing there burqa because they connect closer to there god.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Women are opressed when they're forced to wear Burgas, But when they dont have to wear them. When its a choice to wear Burqas and not be forced to do anything they don't feel opressed.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

President Nicholas Sarkozy has declared: “We cannot accept that in our country some women will be imprisoned behind a fence cut off from all social life, deprived of identity. This is not a principle that the French republic has about women’s dignity.” He called the bill to ban the burqa a “moral choice”, and similar laws are now being considered across Europe.

Predictably, this has angered opponents, who view the ban as an attack on the freedom of expression and worship. With 0.003 per cent of the French population wearing the burqa/niqab, and in an era in which many extreme behaviours are often tolerated, why does a piece of cloth generate such highly-charged debate?

First, the ban strikes a practical balance between individual liberties and the wider security concerns of the community. It should be noted that the ban will not affect the hijab, the most common type of headscarf worn by Muslim women in the West that covers the hair only. It recognises individuals’ right to cover their heads and bodies in deference to the time-honoured religious principles of female modesty and respect. The issue of contention is in covering one’s face. Second, the French bill does not seek to ban the burqa in private homes, but in public spaces, including post offices, banks and public transportation.

It is also important to note that the ban is not specifically targeting Islamic women. The draft legislation stipulates that “no one can, in the public space, wear clothing intended to hide the face”. Under the legislation, all facial coverings, including helmets and balaclavas, would be prohibited. Indeed, it is reasonable that civilians expect not to encounter masked strangers in public spaces. Accountable and healthy participation in society fundamentally requires identification: the need to be able to recognise our fellow citizens and be recognisable in turn. Lifting the veil upon request does not resolve this issue.

The burqa creates a one-way window through which some members of society are recognisable, while others remain invisible. This is a rather confronting prospect with which to be faced, especially when you are the one who cannot see the person staring back at you. It is not a manifestation of so-called ‘Islamophobia’. It is a basic principle of social cohesion that has developed since time immemorial and is especially important in advanced, mobile-age economies such as ours that place a very high premium on successful communication and interpersonal relations. According to Jean-Francois Cope of The New York Times, the burqa prevents women from engaging in socially meaningful lives, thus undermining employability and the ability to climb the socio-economic ladder.

No doubt, the burqa has a range of meanings for the women who wear it, and speaking from a predominantly Western perspective, it is difficult to appreciate these fully. However, the burqa’s origins lie not in the Qur’an, but rather in an extremely conservative interpretation of Islam known as Salafism. This interpretation is commonly associated with countries such as Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, where the burqa is mandated by Sharia law, which also forbids women from driving, leaving the home without supervision or engaging in various socio-economic interactions, including minor medical procedures, without the consent of a male ‘guardian’.

It is difficult – perhaps even naive – to separate “choice” from the fundamentalist and inherently gender-biased religio-cultural context in which it is made, especially since the burqa is usually worn by immigrants from these Gulf regions. This is a particularly jarring concept, given that it sits contrary to the ideals of universal human rights, gender equality and individuality.

In the alternative, if their “choice” turns out to be the result of fully autonomous, informed decision-making, the legislature may have no basis for imposing its whim on a woman’s fashion sense. But what if the women inside genuinely need help? Or a platform for liberation? Instead, political correctness is tying the tongues of those who would normally be at the fore to campaign for women’s rights. Unfortunately, evidence points to coercion as being at least one factor that influences women in wearing burqas.

A piece of cloth is just that; but various moral and security dilemmas arise when that cloth is used to entrench social invisibility. Ultimately, the burqa is a visible statement of separateness that entrenches differences and creates distance between its wearer and society. To borrow the words of the South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi, “it’s symbolic barrier is far greater than the measure of cloth it is created from”.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17tblom1(6) Clarified
1 point

President Nicholas Sarkozy has declared: “We cannot accept that in our country some women will be imprisoned behind a fence cut off from all social life, deprived of identity. This is not a principle that the French republic has about women’s dignity.” He called the bill to ban the burqa a “moral choice”, and similar laws are now being considered across Europe

Side: Religious Tradition
17tblom1(6) Clarified
0 points

Predictably, this has angered opponents, who view the ban as an attack on the freedom of expression and worship. With 0.003 per cent of the French population wearing the burqa/niqab, and in an era in which many extreme behaviours are often tolerated, why does a piece of cloth generate such highly-charged debate?

Side: Religious Tradition
17mhovell(16) Disputed
2 points

It doesn't matter if its 0.003%. thats still muslim women that can't wear the burqa and express themselves. Its like banning red. A small population might wear it but thats still an amount that don't get to wear that color or article of clothing.

Side: Religious Tradition
17jkizewski(2) Disputed
1 point

There is only that many women wearing a burqa so there is not that many and it should not efect any one becasue you barelly see women with them on.

Side: Religious Tradition
17mkickland(3) Disputed
1 point

It should not make such a huge debate so France should not care if there are burqas in France because there are not many people at all that want to wear them.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Only 0.003% is wearing a burqa so i dont understand why they are trying to ban it. Even if 75% of the people were wearing a burqa they shouldnt take away their freedom.

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

what if some women feel pressuered into wearing the burqas because of the taliban forceing them to wear the burqas

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

The only people are forcing women are men. If men are forcing women to wear things that cover basicly the whole body then they men should be forced to do things too. It is not equaly right for one gender to have to do something and the other gender be able to wear whatever they choose.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17lgoland(4) Disputed
1 point

You say that all men force women well Allah has asked all women even jewish and christian women to dress modestly and also if you'll notice all images of jewish and christian women in the past did cover and wear scarves also.. We women are naturally attractive in the eyes of men.. We are to protect ourselves so as not to draw unnecessary attention to our bodies. to be respected for our minds, not just a piece of meat or an animal to be played with..

Look at so called civilized first world countries.. look at the ads in the magazines.. naked or half naked women in front of cigarette ads, wine ads, car ads... Sports illistrated magazine.. etc.. this exploits women as sexual objects for mens desires... Relgion helps women and keeps them from this exploitation..

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Another reason it is oppressive to wemon when the taliban was there. They were scared to go out side alone in feer of being beat, not to mention what happened in one of the vidios were the taliban poored or sprayed acied on that one girl and were in the book were she say beatings witch were in public

Side: Oppressive to Women
0 points

women do not have to put the burka on so they should not have

the burka on beacuse it does not have in the koran

Side: Oppressive to Women
17bprotogere Disputed
1 point

it doesent say that they have to wear a burqa in the koran, but it does say they should be midly covered, so that means only eyes or mouth showing

Side: Religious Tradition
17jeichstead Disputed
1 point

i disagree beacuse it IS in the koran so they have to wear it becuse it is in their holy bible.

Side: Religious Tradition
17cxiong(4) Disputed
1 point

How can this be true when in the koran it doesnt say anything about having to wear burqas so it isnt in there holy book.

Side: Oppressive to Women
17dlallier(5) Disputed
1 point

actully yes it is it says women should be covered in public.

Side: Religious Tradition
0 points

this seems like a middeven oppretion to women because it's a way of taking away there choice, and now it has become illegal in france so the "choice" of there cloths it's now not being welcomed

Side: Oppressive to Women
1 point

this seems like a middeven oppretion to women because it's a way of taking away there choice, and now it has become illegal in france so the "choice" of there cloths it's now not being welcomed

Side: Oppressive to Women
0 points

women have been wearing burqas for along time yes, but the taliban made them

Side: Oppressive to Women
17mhovell(16) Disputed
2 points

Thats only in Afghanistan. If you were a woman and had to wear the burqa because you would be beaten, would you not wear the Burqa?

Side: Religious Tradition
17mbuss(9) Disputed
2 points

The taliban did make them but after the taliban wasnt in power women continued to wear it. It is a tradition that they have always done. They beleive it brings them closer to god so it doesnt matter if the taliban made them or not.

Side: Religious Tradition
1 point

Tyler, how would you feel if someone took away something that you wear everyday... especially if it supports your religon. It shouldnt matter because thats what they want to wear. Like I said in one of my other arguments...it shouldnt matter what they wear because it doesnt change anything about their personality. I guess its almost like judging a book by its cover. Just because they may look different then what you see everyday on the outside definatley doesnt mean that they are weird or odd. Because you never know they could be just like you...anyways...Tyler, a lot of women like to wear the burqa a lot of them wear it to express their identitiy.

Supporting Evidence: Why I'm proud to wear the burqa (articles.cnn.com)
Side: Religious Tradition