Whats the feminist line on women covering themselves up from head to foot in Islamic dress?
Very generally speaking, the line on this is: in countries where women are routinely beaten for showing an ankle, covering up is a Bad Thing – a symbol of grotesque oppression. In countries where women are allowed to wear whatever they fancy, but still choose to drape themselves in cloth from head to foot, covering up is a Good Thing – a symbol of women’s right to choose. Clear enough? You will find some feminists arguing that it is a woman’s duty, if she is lucky enough to live in a vaguely democratic society, to eschew clothing so closely associated with the undemocratic rule of man across vast swathes of the planet. Burn your bra – and your burka. That sort of thing. But then that’s the annoying thing about giving people their freedom, isn’t it? They’re free to make choices that really irritate you. And of course you don’t find anyone nagging Christian nuns to ditch their habits and shorten their hemlines… quite the reverse actually. The problem with the hijab/burka/ jilbab questi
