Usually, an organization with no governmental power issuing a policy statement on a sleepy spring weekend gets about as much attention as one might expect. As the province’s largest women’s rights organization recently found out, however, this equation doesn’t apply in Quebec when Muslims and the always-prickly debate over reasonable accommodation are involved.
La Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ) recently announced its opposition to the banning of “religious articles” from government offices, schools and hospitals, which would effectively allow the wearing of crucifixes or yarmulkes by public employees. Though no such ban yet exists, critics pounced on the FFQ declaration, saying it would also allow for hijabs and chadors–symbols of Muslim repression of women to many.
“The debate is relaunched,” declared Le Devoir, referring to the two-year crise de coeur over the place of religious minorities in Quebec society. This newest kerfuffle even made its way to Quebec’s National Assembly, where opposition parties urged the governing Liberals to disavow the FFQ statement.
So is Quebec heading for yet another public debate of the type spurred in 2006? Probably not, says a noted political scientist. “Things are calmer now than they were,” says McGill’s Jacob Levy. He points to the demise of the ADQ—the political party that exploited the debate for political gain, and now a leaderless rump of six MNAs. The government-appointed commission examining reasonable accommodation published its report a year ago, and has scantly been mentioned since. Quebecers are exhausted from the debate and, like everyone else these days, have more pressing things to worry about. “Two years later, those debates, at best, look like a luxury that we couldn’t afford now,” Levy said.
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It’s absurd to take the hijab as a “religious symbol.” It’s traditional, that’s all. European women wore it until the Renaissance and even well after that. It’s been traditional in the Middle East for eons, which is why the Koran mentions it (it also mentions beards but somehow I think doctors are not going to be obliged to shave their beards). If anything, it’s an invented symbol of modern Islamitude — but away wish such silly innovations!
To clarify: we should therefore allow Muslim women to wear it, even if actual religious symbols (like crucifixes, Stars of David, etc.) are banned from hospitals (which strikes me as ridiculous but is a separate question). Frankly it’s also rather a cool garment and I’ve noticed, at least in Toronto, that it’s gotten considerably more stylish in the last couple of years.
and even more modern! i was traveling last week and noticed a woman in the airport wearing a hijab and it had a built in cell phone holder, that held the unit on the ear, with mic at the mouth, freeing both her hands to play with her children. handy!
one time i caught a muslim religious show on tv and the speaker was mentioning how catholic nuns wear head coverings…..you rarely hear french quebecers complaining about that ! ….meanwhile in ontario there is catholic schools yet they won’t allow other religions to run their own schools with public money….canada is such a bull banana republic isnt it
in islam a woman should dress modestly and cover her body. her hands and face may show. this has adapted itself in different areas of the world. as long as the womans figure is covered loosely and sufficiently the style isn't specified. in somalia women wear something called a garbisar over a dirac , in certain middle eastern cultures the abaya is common.
persoanaly i wear a hijab with a skirt and long sleeves shirt that i'd buy at the mall. and doesn't anyone realise that banning hijabs from school is just plain wrong. there are young girls who would be given unecesary obstacles when all they want is an education. how can you tell her choose between your beliefs and your education. i can garuntee if this is passed more and more muslim gurls will enter into private islamic schools or will be home schooled. wouldn't that defeat the purpose of assimilating muslim women.( which is what it seems to me) if your so concerned about the poor opressed canadian muslim women why not talk to them. see what they think is the best course of action because personally i do not want my quality of life to be hampered because you feel i'm not dressing the way i should. don't tell me i'm being forced to wear a hijab while trying to take away my right to wear it.
"don't tell me i'm being forced to wear a hijab while trying to take away my right to wear it."
excellent point.