New answers tagged inequality
4
To put in a simple manner, secularism in the West is divided in two groups/forms, Anglo-based secularism, followed by countries such as UK, USA, Canada, Australia, etc. and French-based laïcité. Secularism is based on freedom of religion, and laïcité is based on freedom from religion. This is why the hijab bans are in countries such as France and Switzerland,...
2
I have only observed the situation in France in passing and I have almost no idea what the situation is in Canada or elsewhere in the western world. However, I did witness the situation in Germany where there was a big discussion (Kopftuchstreit, litereally dispute concerning headscarves) in the first decade of this millenium and multiple attempts at banning ...
5
I would challenge the frame of the question: many in the West are concerned about these hijab bans. Attitudes towards religious freedom, as well as free speech, are both far more absolutist in the US than in some other Western democracies, and in the US such a law would be both extremely unpopular, and unconstitutional.
Indeed, your exact point was made in a ...
4
I take strong issue with at least two of the three main premises of the question, which seem to be as follows:
France and Canada and unnamed other countries have banned the wearing of the hijab, and are representative of the "West" in their attitudes toward "hijab-practicing" Muslims.
Wearing the hijab is an essential part of "...
3
All the potential political background aside, there is a fundamental qualitative difference between Banning a particular thing and requiring a particular thing:
Banning one piece of item removes one option from a huge list of choices (in the example: also many that are fine with the beliefs of most Muslims)
Requiring one particular attire removes all but ...
-1
The moral motivation of Colonialism was colloquially called, 'the white mans burden'. Neocolonialism could similarly called 'the white womans burden'.
Just as the moral justification for Colonialism was critiqued as being simply a figleaf for the colonial empires of Europe; one can just as easily argue that the feminist moral motivation for Neo-colonialism ...
1
It's an us vs. them mentality where the "us" side believes "them" should also do as they do, because "us" is "better" (quotation marks because what's better is ill-defined).
In other words, because Western men and women think Western-style clothing is better and can't imagine anyone would actually want to wear Islamic ...
19
One it's face both laws seem similar -- requirements on what women can wear. But when examined there are many differences:
The French law allows women a great range in clothing, whereas the Afghan law much more strongly limits free choice -- no exposed skin or hair except a small part of the face.
Part of the French ban (the 2004 "school headscarf ban&...
5
If I understood your question correctly, what you call hypocrisy of standards is linked to the paradox of tolerance:
The paradox of tolerance states that if a society is tolerant without
limit, its ability to be tolerant is eventually seized or destroyed by
the intolerant.
You don't have to agree with it, but I think it's the justification for the bans on ...
10
(note: as requested by the tag, I am laying out the arguments I have seen. They do not necessarily represent my personal opinion.)
If you follow the arguments that were laid down in the discussions leading up to the various laws mentioned, you will see the reasoning quite clearly, though there are several different arguments brought forth by different people....
-3
The short answer: it's a mistake.
However, this is a very complex problem. You may want to read my answer here, as the common mistakes are repeating over and over.
Important note
Both, the Western and Muslim nations, are well-intentioned. It's therefore very sad that they waste energy into such lose-lose conflicts, while we need to spend every resource ...
37
According to western moral values, the two examples are not similar.
There is the belief in many western countries that certain clothing is degrading for people who have to wear it, specifically the niqab. As mentioned by Italian Philosophers 4 Monica, there is a difference between a hijab and a niqab. The difference may be lost in translation when such ...
17
+1 Probably the well-known tendency of people to see faults in others that they do not see in themselves. France's, and subsequently Quebec's - not Canada's - , curbing of Islamic dress is often talked about but not all that strongly criticized.
In fact, in a recent Federals leader's debate in Canada, the host's questions directed at the Quebec candidate ...
answered Sep 17 at 16:55
Italian Philosophers 4 Monica
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5
The dismissive answer is: Democracies are rife with contradictions, both deliberate and accidental, so why should views of head scarves be an exception?
The honest, short answer is deceptively simple: Islamophobia.
That islamophobia is on the rise is well documented. (e.g. this aggregation of studies, notably 2008 and 2010)
Important to this discussion, ...
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