Politics of the Veil

"Despite reservations about the headscarf, the political scientist Mossuz-Lavau argues against the law to ban headscarves. What is at the crux of her argument? Is it valid? (162)"

  Mossuz-Lavau's cardinal argument is that the ban on veils is primarily centered around sexual freedom ("sexual liberation" is the term she uses most). Traditionally, veils have symbolized the restrictive nature of Islam on women and their sexuality. One of the most common examples is the mandate to remain a virgin until marriage. Mossuz-Lavau seemed to weigh sexual freedom much more heavily than any other element while measuring the amount of "liberation" these women whom she was studying, had.

  Mozzuz-Lavau also believes that wearing veils goes hand-in-hand with education; the right to wear veils allows women to stay in school and obtain a higher degree of education than they would be able to otherwise. She also asserts that of the women she interviewed, those who went on to achieve higher degrees of education did so because they rejected conventions of veil wearing.

A Muslim woman protesting against the bans on Hijabs in France.

  However, there is more to liberation than just sexual freedom. One such example is cultural and religious freedom. I read an article not long ago called "Cover Your Face, Then Pay a Fine and Miss the Show" that told the story of a women and her husband who got kicked out of an opera because her niqab was "distracting" to those around her. They had to leave without receiving a refund, or getting to see the expensive show. To me, this is a classic example of infringement on one's right to freedom of religion and expression. The woman posed no threats and caused no disturbances in this instance, but was still ostracized because of her differences. These rights are also extremely important, and should definitely be included in Mossuz-Lavau's contemplations.

Another protestor in the streets of France.

  While I think the author had some good research and interesting insights, it seems that the route to her conclusions was a bit too linear and simplistic:

  The author implies that women's education was exclusively affected by whether or not women wore a veil. Although that is definitely a theme, it seems she needs to do more in-depth research to determine other possible causative factors.

  Also, the preponderance of her vindications were rooted solely in the measurement of sexual freedom. Although this is extremely important, especially regarding feminist advances in Islam, I believe that there are many more factors that should be considered when appraising the amount of "liberation" that someone has. "Liberation" is an all-encompassing term that can refer to many things; therefore, her research and argument should support a multi-faceted principle.