User:Jakeldiamond/sandbox

Initial instances of the French government’s actions towards a full burqa ban can be traced back to the “Scarf Affair” in 1989. Under this law, hijabs were no longer allowed to be worn in French public schools. Permission was granted to school administrators to declare when this law was being violated by students. Contempt for this bill led to the adaption of a nation-wide and religiously consistent plan.

the Law of Secularity and Conspicuous Religious Symbols in Schools was passed in September of 2004. This law stated all religious items could no longer be worn in public schools including but not limited to: kippah’s, catholic crosses, and Muslim attire. Despite targeting all religions, the law seemed to unevenly target Muslim individuals.

These actions taken by the government stem from the strong history of separation between Church and state experienced in France. Established in 1905, Laïcité, the French term for separation of church and state, states that no religion can influence government affairs and policies. Anastasia Comobiso writes regarding the topic, “The State abolishes the particular rights granted to institutions or religious congregations, and confines religion itself to personal and private subjectivity.” Muslim face coverings, according to the French government, hinder universal women’s rights and threaten the safety of the public

Individuals who continue to battle legislation argue that this law infringes on the human rights of women, possibly even further discriminating against them. Hebah Ahmed, a female Muslim activist, stated when asked about the topic said, “I think that it’s a bad idea because I think it’s yet another example of men telling women how to dress, how to live their life. It’s another way to try to control women. And to take it to a government level and to try to legislate the way that a woman dresses is not just wrong and against human rights, but it really violates the whole basis [of] democracy”