Hijab Ban In France
Recently, the French Senate voted to ban minors from wearing the hijab, an Islamic covering that some Muslim women choose to wear.
A practice of modesty, the hijab can take many different forms, though the most common is the wearing of a headscarf covering the hair and often the neck. Additionally, women also dress modestly, wearing clothing that covers their body from head to toe, and that is often more loose-fitting.
Word of the ban took social media by storm as people expressed their frustration with yet another of France’s blatant Islamophobic acts. However, many aspects of the ban were left out. The ban also extends to intervening in mosques (the Muslim places of worship) and associations responsible for their administration. It also plans to control the finances of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that belong to the Muslim community. The ban also prohibits families from home-schooling their children and prevents patients from choosing doctors based on gender for religious purposes. Many Muslim women prefer to have female doctors for religious purposes, but the ban restricts their right in requesting such arrangements (Daily Sabah).
The April 2nd ban, though infuriating, is not surprising considering France’s history with Islamophobia. In 2004, France banned hijabs in public schools and later in private schools, as well. In 2011, France banned Muslim women from wearing the niqab, another Islamic covering that covers the head and face along with veiling much of the body. In 2016, France banned burkinis, a more modest, full-body swimwear that many Muslim women wear.
Along with these numerous legislative manifestations of Islamophobia in France, Islamophobia has become ingrained in French society. Hate crimes against Muslims in France have only been increasing with there being 235 attacks on Muslims in France in 2020 (Daily Sabah). This was a sharp increase from 2019 when there were 154 attacks (though that is still a disturbingly large number). There was a notable 35% increase in attacks on Mosques this past year as well (Daily Sabah).
As Islamophobia in France intensifies, more and more people are speaking out about its wrongful nature. Numerous protests have been held in France against the ban, although it has yet to be reversed. Though this issue is largely centralized in France, Islamophobia, unfortunately, crosses the borders of the nation and extends far beyond. Women all over the world experience Islamophobia, especially those who wear the hijab, an outward sign of their faith. Forcing a woman to wear a hijab is wrong, just as it is forcing her to take it off. Hijab is a woman’s choice and no one has the right to question or comment on or control her journey and her choice. Both society and France have to start understanding and embracing that.
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