The French government’s decision to ban children from wearing the abaya, the loose-fitting, full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in state-run schools drew applause on Monday from the right, but also criticism.

  • Takapapatapaka@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The main problem with this subject is that the abaya is not a religious clothing strictly speaking. It is not enforced by any muslim sacred text, a lot of muslim women do not wear it, whereas non-muslim women wear it. It is rather typical from the arabic culture than from the muslim religion (it originated from bedouin culture in the first place).

    Here in France people are mad about secularism because of an old hate of Christian Church, but nowadays it is rather used to discriminate jews and muslims. (At school, yarmulke and headscarf are banned, but christian crosses are allowed if they’re not too big. Every day i saw people in school with christian crosses around the neck or as earrings, and no one bothered them, while they were harassing girls with a headscarf.)

    Imo here the government is just creating a new debate on a stupid question, just to scare people about muslims and give hard right politicians a bone to chew, as they always do. While everyone talks and is afraid about what teenagers could wear, people talk less about the other laws they are passing, for having more control over Internet or whatever they want.

    • Magnor@lemmy.magnor.ovh
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      1 year ago

      Yeah this is exactly what is happening. Use this as a talking point while the country rots from the inside thanks to Macron’s antisocial and ecocidal policies.

      • bobman@unilem.org
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        1 year ago

        Yep. Make the masses squabble over social issues while the wealthy fucks them with monetary ones.

    • bobman@unilem.org
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      1 year ago

      “I don’t like this thing so therefore neither should anyone else.”

      It’s really the default mentality for the vast majority of people I come across these days.

    • Akasazh@feddit.nl
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      1 year ago

      Imo here the government is just creating a new debate on a stupid question, just to scare people about muslims and give hard right politicians a bone to chew

      Good take, even I got riled up into a discussion on this, lately. It’s rather divisive and therefore a good tool to get people further apart, instead of working together…

      • gbzm@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Being ashamed of our nakedness and wearing clothes to hide it is a punishment from God for eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge. I guess clothes are part of the religious liturgy of all abrahamic religions…

  • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Children shouldn’t have to uphold any religion imo. It’s tough here though as it’s also their freedom to wear whatever so I don’t think that ban is the best way to approach this issue here.

    • A_Toasty_Strudel@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      This is correct. Even if we don’t necessarily agree with why they’re choosing to wear it, saying that they’re outright not able to is completely unacceptable.

      • Dremor@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Crucifixes and yarmulkes (also known as kippas) are also banned, yes.

        • bobman@unilem.org
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          1 year ago

          The other commenter was saying ‘crosses are allowed if they’re not too big.’

          Which is it?

          • Dremor@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Usually if it isn’t visible. Like a necklace worn under clothes. The idea being that you should not make your religious apparent.

            • bobman@unilem.org
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              1 year ago

              He was saying that they would wear them around their necks and in their ears and nobody would bother them about it.

              • Dremor@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                It is mainly up to the head of the school to define what is acceptable or not.

                In my case it wouldn’t bother me me if a Jewish, Muslim, or any other religion student wore a penny sized necklace under his clothes, but not if it is a ostensible one.

                That’s the problem with clothes, it shows ostensibly from which religion, caste or culture you are from.

                • bobman@unilem.org
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                  1 year ago

                  Yeah, he didn’t make any mention of obscuring it with clothing or it being up to the ‘head of the school.’

      • Magnor@lemmy.magnor.ovh
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        1 year ago

        They are banned but it is not exactly the same. Those are religious items. The abaya is a whole genre of clothing.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    PARIS, Aug 28 (Reuters) - The French government’s decision to ban children from wearing the abaya, the loose-fitting, full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in state-run schools drew applause on Monday from the right, but also criticism.

    France has enforced a ban on religious symbols in state schools since 2004, to uphold its strict brand of secularism, known as “laicite”.

    “Our schools are continually put under test, and over the past months, breaches to laicite have increased considerably, in particular with (pupils) wearing religious attire like abayas and kameez,” Education Minister Gabriel Attal told a news conference to explain Sunday’s ban.

    The SNPDEN-UNSA union of school principals welcomed the decision, saying what it needed above all was clarity from the government, its national secretary, Didier Georges, told Reuters.

    They will, once again, feel stigmatised," said sociologist Agnes De Feo, who has been researching French women wearing niqab for the past decade.

    Riffi said there was a wider fashion trend among female high school students, who buy long dresses and kimonos online.


    The original article contains 510 words, the summary contains 172 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • bobman@unilem.org
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      1 year ago

      It’s not unique to france.

      All nations are controlled by petulant children who believe if they don’t like something, then neither should anyone else.

      Most adults are kids these days. It’s really sad, but the ruling class has been successful in keeping us as stupid as possible for as long as possible.

      • JustAManOnAToilet@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        That or a baker. The French really don’t like bakers. Last person to suggest others eat cake had her head chopped off.