“ Unmasking Racism”: Racism ”: A Critical Analysis of the Burka Ban Law in France
Issue I: Resistance
Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the issue of mandatory face-coverings in public places has become the center of attention of debates worldwide. However, it is not the first time that legislation regarding face coverings has been enacted. In 2010, the French Parliament passed their first law banning face-covering in public places, with the stated purpose of increasing public security and women’s equality and freedom in society1. Although this law applied nationally and did not specify any religion as a target, their primary target was Muslim women wearing face-coverings (burka or niqab) in public places. Muslim women wear the burka as an indication of modesty based on their sharia beliefs. The banning of face-coverings in law has become famous
The face-covering ban in public law passed in 2010 in France created two new punishable offenses: First, wearing clothing that designed to cover one’s face in the public sphere is punishable by either requiring taking a class on the meaning of citizenship or by a maximum of € 150 fine, or both; Second, forcing a woman to wear a face-covering is punishable by a €30,000 fine or one year of imprisonment (Legifrance, 2010).
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By: Farinaz Basmechi
PGEP
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