A few months ago I was surprised to learn that France bans its citizens from wearing religious symbols in public schools. In high school, I commonly saw people wearing polytheistic and monotheistic religious symbols as necklaces or on clothing, and it’s hard to imagine a law that would ban this from occurring.
Then I thought, well wait a second, what about hijab? What is the reason for France’s ban on these? How is this impacting religious identity? I heard this France information from a girl I met who is a French major, and I still have so many questions, so I decided this would be a good topic for my civic issue blog.
In 2004 (looks like I’m late to this civic issue) France banned religious symbols from being worn in public schools. This includes Muslim headscarves, Jewish Caps, Sikh Turbans, and large Christian crosses (Europe). The reason for this ban is to maintain the separation from state and religion in France. This law does not cross over into private schools or other general public areas. While France has a high interest in maintaining their separation of church and state, this law brings freedom of religious identity into question for school-aged individuals and public school teachers. It may also cause religious segregation if parents take their children out of public schools and enroll them in private schools that allow them to wear their religious symbols.
The restriction on religious symbolism was further implemented when France passed a “Burqa Ban.” In 2010, a law went into effect in France banning people from wearing “any article of clothing intended to conceal the face” in public. (Deutsche). France was the first country in Europe to ban the public wearing of a full-face veil (European Court Upholds French Full Veil Ban). Exceptions of this full face coving ban exclude motorcycle helmets, face masks for health reasons, and face-coverings for sporting or professional activities. While this ban impacts many Muslim women who wear face coverings, the law was written without any reference is Islam. Citizens who violate this law can be subjected to fines.
So what does this mean for religious identity in France? Full-face coverings are an important part of modesty for some Muslim women across the globe. To clear up any confusion people may have, the three basic types of dress for Muslim women are hijab, niqab, and burqa. A hijab covers the hair and neck of an individual, a niqab is like a hijab except it also covers the face but leaves the eyes unconcealed, and a burqa covers the entire face and the eyes (Islamic Pamphlets). Within the French laws, hijab can be worn in public places besides public schools, but niqab and burqas cannot because they conceal the face.
France’s ban on face coverings is considered a human rights violation by the United Nations Human Rights Committee (Picheta).
If France bans face-covering as a way to unify its citizens, it ironically could have the opposite effect of discouraging women who prefer to cover their faces for modesty from leaving their homes. French president at the time Nicolas Sarkozy said that the practice of Muslim women covering their faces isolates women and promotes inequality between sexes (Beardsley).
I have always been attracted to French culture for their open and accepting views on sexuality, especially female sexuality, but banning people from practicing their religion the way they choose does seem like a human rights violation to me. Many people say that this ban has caused the furthering of an anti-Islamic climate in France and across Europe as other European countries like have also adopted a ban on face-coverings. This topic of identity also makes me realize a part of my own identity, my identity as an American. I may not be particularly religious, but freedom of religion is protected by the constitution.
Works Cited
“Europe | French Scarf Ban Comes into Force.” BBC News, BBC, 2 Sept. 2004, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3619988.stm.
Deutsche Welle. “French ‘Burqa Ban’ Violates Human Rights, Rules UN Committee: DW: 23.10.2018.” DW.COM, www.dw.com/en/french-burqa-ban-violates-human-rights-rules-un-committee/a-46007469.
“European Court Upholds French Full Veil Ban.” BBC News, BBC, 1 July 2014, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28106900.
Islamic Pamphlets, islamicpamphlets.com/the-burqa-niqab-uncovering-the-facts.
Picheta, Rob. “France’s Niqab Ban Violates Human Rights, UN Committee Says.” CNN, Cable News Network, 23 Oct. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/10/23/europe/france-niqab-ban-un-intl/index.html.
Beardsley, Eleanor. “France’s Burqa Ban Adds To Anti-Muslim Climate.” NPR, NPR, 11 Apr. 2011, www.npr.org/2011/04/11/135305409/frances-burqa-ban-adds-to-anti-muslim-climate.
I liked how you pointed out the thought that French culture is considered to be very open and accepting, yet we see a paradox with the religious identity beliefs. It is ironic that a state with great respect for other beliefs will enforce a ban on expression of what you believe. It is respectable to enforce the separation of church and state, but at what cost? Aren’t we still mixing the line of church and state by limiting what can be expressed/practiced?
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