What about the veil?

Cecília Jorge

It’s not a new debate, but it seems that the subject is getting harder and radicalised. In France, the question is warming up again and with 3.5 million islamists there, something’s bound to break.
The burqa, a veil that covers muslim women from head to toe to preserve her from alien eyes, was deemed an attack to the nation’s cherished values of “liberté, egalité, fraternité” and its ban proposed at least in public places. Just like smoking...
I wasn’t invited to the debate, but I would like to get into it anyway, being an admirer of the French ‘crazy’ nonchalance.
So the muslim’s veil, offensive to non-muslims? Yes and No. Or rather, it depends on the how. (And also what’s behind it all, not quite visible. But that’s another question).
If you look at it in terms of a “human rights” and woman’s emancipation stance, it is hard to ask an outsider not to be outraged, or at least displeased, at the simple thought that a woman might be “forced” to cover herself up completely in such a way so as not to risk looking “exposed” and thus be labeled a sinner, and suffer the dire consequences.
It feels as having more to do with fear and subservience than just fashion and the wish to please her husband, or the search of purity.
Of course I am not a Muslim, and as such, I am suspect of biased approach. Absolutely, correct. Again, I would be very much obliged to any muslim woman, that would kindly explain to me why they consider a privilege and a treat (at least I heard often women in favour of the custom saying that) to be able to live in accordance with this custom. Here, all the images of various degrees of covering up that I have encountered, flash to my mind, black and sombre, with leather, metal masks, and horrific nets that I would not fancy in an animal.
There is also the question of impracticability considering all the security measures now applied in most public spaces, worldwide. How on earth would you expect people to accept your refusal to uncover face and head, when the person behind your cover could well be someone else in disguise, even if not a criminal? Would you trust someone in that attire? Feel secure?
Having in mind the old native “dó” of the Macanese women, I would easily be brought to understand the use of the headscarf, that many Asian muslims wear, believing it beautifies the woman. Or that it shows respect within a community. Far but not forgotten completely are the days when Catholic girls like myself were taught to cover the hair with a veil whenever praying in church. Very similar to the mantillas that Spanish flamenco dancers still use, they were cherished, prized, and expensive... The catholics abandoned that usage but the muslims kept theirs. And many African and Latin American women, muslim or not, still elect the headscarf (a shorter one) as an indispensable piece of hairdo, feeling naked without it.
In short, I would say that it is important to single out this: respect one’s right to choose, as long as other peoples’ feelings are taken in consideration.
By that I mean no one should be made into a slave of others people’s whims. You do not wear something only for the sake of others’ beliefs (the opposite should also apply: you should not be made to strip ...). One more rule applies here  – “In Rome, be a Roman”. So if you leave your country where everyone acknowledges the national customs to resettle somewhere else, try not to expect others to change their deepest national customs to integrate yours, if totally alien.
There is always a meeting point whenever you come from opposite directions.