Sir, – I heartily commend France for its decision to ban the so-called burkini. It is a powerful symbol of the archaic subjugation of women.
It is common to see Muslim men strutting along beaches in “budgie-smugglers”. No need for any religiously based modesty there.
It therefore follows that the requirement for Muslim women to don a burkini is one of reprehensible double standards. – Yours, etc,
PATRICIA MULKEEN,
Ballinfull,
Co Sligo.
Sir, – I am really upset by Dr Roja Fazaeli's assertions concerning the burkini ban ("Burkini ban is another way to subjugate Muslim women", Opinion & Analysis, August 25th).
Nice is a city still stunned to the core by the atrocity of July 14th , where the blood of the victims is still embedded in the surface of the beautiful Promenade des Anglais.
It is high time for scholars such as Dr Fazaeli to apply reason to the Koranic revelations described, and to try to understand the complete lack of respect for the victims, the citizens of Nice, and the deliberate provocation the burkini represents to a large segment of a deeply wounded French society. – Yours, etc,
PETER KEANE,
Nice,
France.
Sir, – I agree with the sentiment expressed by Dr Roja Fazaeli.
While I recognise that France and several other European countries have experienced horrific acts of terror in the last few years, such a reactionary backlash against Muslims cannot be the answer. Indeed, it can only serve to further alienate.
With regard to France’s burkini bans, there continues to exist a problem over policing women in public places, and no major religion seems to stand innocent of doing this. Some, indeed, go so far as to dictate what should and should not be worn.
But the fact of the matter is that we do not know if the woman in question was forced to wear a burkini.
If she was, does banning the item of clothing solve the problem?
Does it stop conservative Muslims from believing that women should be so covered?
Surely there is deeper and more difficult work to be done to address such inequality. If she wore it by choice, how are secularism and “good morals” served by denying her and women like her such a choice?
She and Muslims like her are not to blame for terrorism; cowards using Islam in an attempt to justify their atrocities are to blame. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN CLASBY,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – Following the horrendous attacks on the staff of the Charlie Hebdo publication, members of the Irish government quite rightly joined other leaders in attending a rally in Paris in support of freedom of expression, even the expression of views that others may deem offensive.
I am hoping that the Irish Ambassador to France will voice the outrage of all freedom-loving peoples in response to the crackdown by the French authorities on another form of expression, the choice of some Muslim women to wear the “burkini” at the beach. – Yours, etc,
PADRAIC HENEGHAN,
Barrington,
Illinois.