Anti-Muslim prejudice is on the move again, this time to Australia. The state of New South Wales wants to pass a law requiring a Muslim woman to show her face to police, when requested. If she doesn't, there's a $5,500 fine (AUD) and a year in jail.
Great. So much for religious freedom in Australia. This is the same old tune that other countries have used: "it's for security" or "it's because women are forced to wear a veil." There are very few woman in Australia who wear a niqab or other face covering, and while some of those may be forced, it wouldn't surprise me if most of them were not. And if you are wearing a niqab for religious reasons, then showing your face to some random policeman is going to be very distressing. To use an analogy, how would you feel if a policeman pulled your wife over for speeding, then asked her to take off her blouse. I know some of you think that's a bad analogy (it has some faults) but for some Muslim women I've met, the idea of letting a man see their face is about on par with that. And who are we to force them to act differently?
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