Attitudes to the wearing of the burka in western countries
In Britain, all girls have been left the choice to wear whatever womens clothing pleases their attitude, sensability, and way of life. There are no laws (political or religious) implemented regarding what a woman can or cannot wear in public, however the wearing of the full Islamic veil is something that causes considerable stir both in society and in government. The problem that many people have with the wearing of the burka and the niqab is that they disguise the face to such an extent that it is virtually impossible to identify the person or communicate with them on a ’face-to-face'basis.
Since the expression of communication through the face is such an important mechanism of socialising in the western world, it is clear that wearing such clothing on the face is not conducive to western culture. The image of a Muslim women dressed in garments that essentially conceal her from the outside world provoke images of repression and inwardness in a society that values the freedom of individual expression.
However, the concept of ’freedom'in regards to individual expression has often been the vital fuel that has prevented governments from initiating a blanket ban on the wearing of the full veil, particularly in Britain and the United States. It is clear that examples set governments in other countries such as France, which has recently upheld its ban on wearing the burka in public, cannot easily be imitated in others. This is due to strong cultural differences in regards to the role that religion plays in public life, which contrasts significantly between different countries.
In the US, the right to freedom of religious expression is enshrined in the US constitution - America’s second bible. In France, however, religion is predominantly a private matter. Such to the extent that the use of religious vocabulary by French politicians is often met with strong hostility due to France’s historical feat in being the first country to develop the concept of the separation of church and state. In the US it is quite common for atheists to be quietly ’banned'from running for office in a number of states and virtually all of the high ranking politicians are religious to a degree. It would appear for now that countries that have more secular outlooks express more discontent with the wearing of certain types of clothing, such as the burka. It is clear that in France, the image of the burka as a hostile form of dressing far outweighs the concept of a Muslim’s individual right to expression. In the United States and Britain, however, the intertwining of religion and individual liberty facilitate in protecting the Islamic full veil from facing a blanket ban.