• Hillock@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    France banned basically all religious symbols in public schools. This includes crosses or the Jewish kippah. It’s now expanded to include the abaya dresses. Veils and headscarves were already banned.

    I think it’s stupid since the dress isn’t necessarily religious. It’s just commonly worn by Muslims. Might as well ban white buttoning down shirts at this point because that’s what some christians wear, especially to church.

    • FinnFooted@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’m curious as to how they even define and abaya. Like… Other than being a loose fitting dress made of a square piece of cloth, theres not much to define it. Dresses that fit the description are also worn by “westerners.”

      • Hillock@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        That’s the thing, an abaya doesn’t cover your head. There might be some designs that do but in general it’s just a maxi-dress with long sleeves. So that’s why I think this is stupid. I can understand banning wearing it with an Hijab or other types of headscarves. But as it stand they are sending children home because their dress is too long.

        • Zahille7@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          America: get sent home if your skirt is too short

          France: get sent home if your dress is too long

          • Aux@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            One of them is a misogynstic state which criminalises abortions in parts of the country, another state is activelly fighting misogyny.

            • HipHoboHarold@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Except that this is supposedly don’t because it’s seen as a religious thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m against Islamic people forcing women to wear certain things. It is oppressive. But that’s not what this is. They are seeing it as a religious piece of clothing, and banning it for being a religious piece of clothing. And it’s not even strictly a religious piece of clothing.

              It’s also just the dress. We aren’t talking about any sort of head or face covering. But the dress.

              There’s a few layers to this, but none of it is “France is fighting against Islamic misogyny”

                • HipHoboHarold@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  That’s the dumbest thing I’ve seen in these entire comments

                  Edit: Since I’ve got almost nothing going on at work, let me try and explain my point of view. It might be hard to follow an adult conversation, but maybe try.

                  They are not banning this for any moral reason about misogyny. To champion it for that reason is dumb because that’s not what’s happening. I’m personally a fan of talking about things happening as they are happening. We are not seeing France fight Islam and the way they oppress women. It’s them saying people can’t wear religious things. This includes things like a cross necklace, or a yamaka. Personally, I am agaisnt this. I don’t think it should be the schools decision on things like that. Secularism in a system doesn’t have to be against these things. It just means the rules are written without influence from them. I don’t think religious clothes hurt peope simply for being religious. I don’t get offended if someone wears a cross necklace or something like that.

                  But this also means it’s not them fighting for women. It’s just them being against religious articles of clothing over all

                  “So you’re pro women being forced to wear it?!”

                  No. I’m actually pretty anti-theistic. More so with the Abraham’s religions. I was actually raised Mormon, and while not as extreme as Islam, they do have very similar views on modesty with women that they don’t extent anywhere near to the same extent with men. So I have seen the harm things like this cause. And I agree that it is a choice, but also not really since they are taught this is the way to live and to not do so makes you a terrible person. That if they don’t cover their porn shoulders they’re gonna get pregnant and have STDs. Shit like that fucks with women.

                  However, I don’t think it’s the schools job to do that. I can understand and agree with head coverings. But if it’s just the dress, then no.

                  There’s also the aspect that, as others have pointed out, it’s not just religious. It’s also cultural. If you grow up in those regions, even if you’re not Islamic, you would likely still wear one. Because it’s just a part of their culture. Just like how jeans and t-shirts are fairly common in the US. I lived in Florida, and flip flops were fairly common. Moved up north, and not so much. Different cultures have certain types of clothing that are fairly common. It doesn’t have to be religious. So in that aspect I think it’s also a oversight in that some might not be wearing it for cultural reasons so much as it’s just what they wear.

                  None of this means I support misogyny. I just don’t beleive in an oppressive government doing things like this. If they don’t like it, then they should implement a law where students wear a uniform.

          • Hillock@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            Where in the article is it mentioning that they covered their head? Do you mean the picture? They aren’t even showacsing an abaya in the picture. Some of the girls are wearing sweaters and long sleeved shirts. And the head is covered by a headscarf. Yes, it will be very difficult to find any depiction of people wearing an abaya without a headscarf because it’s mostly worn by muslims and they will cover their head with an additional headscarf. Just as it will be very rare to find any clothing displayed by muslim women without them covering their head.

            At the end of August, the education minister announced that pupils would be banned from wearing the loose-fitting full-length robes

            That is how they defined the abaya. A loose-fitting full-length robe. There is no mentioning of covering the head. The abaya is no more a religious clothing than any “church clothes” are. It’s like black ties that are worn at funerals, like white button down shirts worn by certain missionaries. These items see use outside of their religious areas and so to abayas. They are worn to many occasions and not explictly religious.

            • electrogamerman@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              You are also assuming they are banning Abayas, are you not? They never explicitly said it, nor its mentioned in the article.

              • Hillock@kbin.social
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                1 year ago

                No I am not assuming it literally says so. They banned the Abaya starting this year. The headscarf ban and stricter enforcing of religious symbols was back in 2004.

                The French education minister has said that nearly 300 pupils arrived at school on Monday wearing the abaya, the long Muslim robe which was banned in schools last week.

                Yes, it is very hard to differentiate between cultural and religious clothings in the Arabic world. And that’s why banning the hardscarf while controversial is still supported by most. But things are starting to get ridiculous and is closer to “banning what is different”.

    • sonovebitch@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      the dress isn’t necessarily religious

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaya

      essentially a robe-like dress, worn by some women in parts of the Muslim world

      It is common that the abaya is worn on special occasions, such as Mosque visits, Islamic Holiday celebrations for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha and also during the Islamic Holy month of Ramadan

      I also wear a kippa on my head and a cross around my meck. But it’s not necessarily religious. I just like the design. /s

      France is a secular country. It’s probably hard to understand for you free people of freedomland, but ALL signs of religion are banned from public institutions.

      • cley_faye@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Funny how no one cared about teachers having a cross around their neck when I was in school. I guess it wasn’t for religious reasons, right?

      • Hillock@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        So let’s ban underwear and shoes because those are also worn in the Muslim world. And anyone who is wearing a baseball cap or hat isn’t allowed to take it off because taking off a hat inside has christian influence.

        The abaya is just like a suit or a dress worn by people to church. And neither are banned in public schools. If a french girls wears an abaya few would even know it’s an abaya. And ton of western style maxi-dresses are similar in style to an abaya.