My body my choice applies to these girls, too: how France wronged millions of hijab-wearing girls
- Prisha
- Apr 6, 2021
- 2 min read
On March 30th, 2021, the French senate banned hijabs for anyone under the age of 18. The law passed states “prohibition in the public space of any conspicuous religious sign by minors and of any dress or clothing which would signify an interiorization of women over men." Prior to this, veils were already banned in French public schools since 2004. Additionally, Islam-following mothers cannot accompany their children on field trips while wearing a headscarf.
France claims that this is to protect its secularism. However, if that were true, why doesn't it apply to everything? If secularism should be protected at all costs and any religious wear would disrupt that, then Crucifix necklaces should be banned too, right? Since the cross is a symbol of Christianity, according to this logic, it too infringes on France's secularist ideology.
Because this isn't the case, it's clear to see that this law is a result of Islamophobic tendencies, as well as misogynistic ones. While women are forced to wear hijabs many times, often, it is a choice that they make to show piety, or as a part of their identity. They want to show that they are believers of Islam, that their hijab is a part of their identity and religion which they do not want to detach themselves from. They consider it their pride in their ethnicity, and it shows that you don't need to be white to be beautiful.
If we want to preserve secularity and women's rights, we should create laws that make it more difficult to oppress women and include religious policies in government, not laws that make it harder for women to express themselves and laws that favor one religion over the other.
Here's the link to a petition to try to undo the Hijab ban:
Remember, use your voice and educate yourself!
Sources:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/22/frances-decades-long-feud-over-the-hijab-takes-centre-stage
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