...[S]ince this law has been passed, a form of social frustration has emerged and the law that was meant to prevent people from showing their religious affiliation has led to a greater visibility of religious symbols.
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Source/Credit: Les Echos
By Asif Arif | September 5, 2013
Sweden is a country where I have to salute the activists. Following a complaint filed by a pregnant woman who had been assaulted based on racial motives, many women's rights activists have published pictures of them in "hijab" naming the movement "the uprising of" hijab ".
The women who protested
According to an information revealed by Liberation, over 2000 women have posted their photos, veiled, on Instagram. This included, not only personalities from the political sphere, but also some from the world of entertainment or feminists. This movement, called the "Hijabuppropet", was a remarkable success and created its own Facebook page.
Although, some feminist activists didn't agree with the movement and felt that wearing the veil is of a sign of "submission”, people part of this "virtual protest" are convinced of their struggle. This kind of objections helps breaking down misconceptions about the veil, constantly seen by opponents as a kind of demon to eliminate.
The debate over the veil and its importance in France
In the past few months, an impressive increase of institutions and other observatories in order to defend Muslims against Islamophobia in France have been created. It is important to know however, that the headscarf debate in France began in November 1989 regarding the issue of wearing conspicuous symbols in public schools. The Council of State (Conseil d’Etat) had said then stated "wearing signs by which students intend to show their religious affiliation, is not, in itself, incompatible with secularism" since it is also important to educate about how to cope with differences.
The debate was raised again in public opinion with the law on the full veil and many MPs were against. However, paradoxically, since this law has been passed, a form of social frustration has emerged and the law that was meant to prevent people from showing their religious affiliation has led to a greater visibility of religious symbols.
Despite this law, the question of veil has emerged again, this time reflecting if it should be allowed in universities. In a interview published in the daily Le Fait Religieux (Religious Facts), Nicolas Cadène - General Rapporteur in the Observatory of Secularism – estimated that from a legal perspective, this issue is very complex to solve.
It goes without saying that beyond the different groups denouncing racist and Islamophobic acts - which is highly commendable - it also belongs to Muslims themselves to understand their own religion or educate about the true aspects of it because ignorance can sometimes be the cause of misunderstandings. In that order, Cultures & Croyances has published a very interesting symposium organized by the women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of France as it tackles head-on the question of the veil. A transcript is available online on the website.
The political debate must be reoriented
It seems that for several years, secularism is only understood as a process that express not only the neutrality of the state, but also the neutralization of worship.
Reflecting upon this understanding of secularism, Azhar Hanif – an eminent personality of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – that I met during a conference in Britain, suggested that France should develop and focus on the making of inclusive laws rather than exclusive laws concerning different religious communities.
This position goes along with some great scholars in France who have written several books on secularism – such as Patrick Weil – who advocate a secular union rather than a secular division.
-- English translation: Mahrukh Arif, Secrétaire Générale et Responsable Communication du site Cultures & Croyances
Read original post here: Opinion: Reasons why I support the Swedish feminists!
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