6th August 2018 • opinion
Boris Johnson is trying to police Muslim women's bodies - just like everyone else
Image: BBC
by Akeela Ahmed MBE
Boris Johnson’s comments demonise British Muslim Women - whether they wear a niqab, hijab, burka, or anything else of their choosing - who face increasing hate crime attacks on streets and hostility online.
There are ways to debate religious attire. This is not one of them.
Such debates should be led by British Muslim women (not necessarily exclusively), and include the women who choose to wear a Burka.
Otherwise it's just mansplaining and policing of women’s bodies.
I don’t think the burka or niqab is mandated in Islam but some Muslim women believe it is. It's their right and freedom to decide what they wear, free from demonisation and fear of attack, physical or otherwise.
Yes, it’s not always appropriate to wear a face veil, and those conversations can be had without name calling or removing an individual’s liberty.
Boris Johnson's comments are a form of coercive control, similar to the men who insist Muslim women should wear a burka, niqab or hijab, indicated by his unwillingness to speak to his constituents who refused to remove a niqab.
This is not a debate. It’s an ultimatum.
Calling women who wear a burka or a niqab a 'letterbox' or 'bank robber' is simply cheap name calling.
Boris Johnson’s comments demonise British Muslim Women - whether they wear a niqab, hijab, burka, or anything else of their choosing - who face increasing hate crime attacks on streets and hostility online.
There are ways to debate religious attire. This is not one of them.
Such debates should be led by British Muslim women (not necessarily exclusively), and include the women who choose to wear a Burka.
Otherwise it's just mansplaining and policing of women’s bodies.
I don’t think the burka or niqab is mandated in Islam but some Muslim women believe it is. It's their right and freedom to decide what they wear, free from demonisation and fear of attack, physical or otherwise.
Yes, it’s not always appropriate to wear a face veil, and those conversations can be had without name calling or removing an individual’s liberty.
Boris Johnson's comments are a form of coercive control, similar to the men who insist Muslim women should wear a burka, niqab or hijab, indicated by his unwillingness to speak to his constituents who refused to remove a niqab.
This is not a debate. It’s an ultimatum.
Calling women who wear a burka or a niqab a 'letterbox' or 'bank robber' is simply cheap name calling.
About us
Barfi Culture is a news-magazine on people of South Asian heritage living in Europe and North America. We don't cover South Asia directly.
Sign up!
We publish Updates and Articles to our website every day. At 5pm every Monday - Friday we also post them to Twitter and WhatsApp. Weekly updates by email.
Email (weekly)
WhatsApp (once a day)
Your number will never be shared.
Your number will never be shared.
Twitter (daily)
Follow @barfi_culture
Follow @barfi_culture
Facebook (daily)
Instagram (daily)