I was delighted to read Legal Eagle's latest posting on women who wear burqas.
I am concerned that a this kind of reaction puts a woman, who already suffers under a fierce form of patriarchy, in an extremely difficult position. Muslim women from fundamentalist families find it difficult enough to be financially independent, without further barriers placed in their way.
In some ways the burqa is a way of "seeing without being seen", akin to Hamlet's madness. However, it is not entirely self-imposed: the woman who wears the burqa in the streets of Melbourne is usually terrified not to, for fear of social (and possibly physical) consequences.
The headscarf alone does, indeed, appear to be a sign of modesty before God. But the full burqa is usually not self-imposed, rather it is quietly accepted amongst muslim women.
I guess employment is one way for women who are so oppressed that they must wear it to find their way out of that oppression.
The broader point is that you don't always know what's going on in someone's life. I get nervous about blaming the woman in this scenario - you may be creating further disadvantage to an already disadvantaged person.
Why not give her the job on probation! If it doesn't work, you can always end the contract. But you might have employed the most dedicated teaching assistant around, and changed someone's life immeasurably.
I agree that not seeing someone's face is a disturbing experience, but perhaps challenges in communication make us better at communicating. And it could be a very good experience for children in two ways:
1) children from Muslim families recognise that they can be part of working society, and
2) children not from Muslim families can realise that there is a person behind the veil.
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You've made some good points there. I think the important thing in this scenario was (a) she didn't wear the full veil at the interview, so this was somewhat misleading and (b) she had been given a chance - she worked in the job for some time and it didn't work. She couldn't do the job because she couldn't communicate adequately.
It's a difficult one. I don't think Ms Azmi should be blamed. In a way, of course, she is being punished. She may be the most dedicated, pleasant teaching assistant around, but what can you do if she can't actually fulfil her role? If anyone should be "blamed", it's the patriarchal, judgemental community in which she lives.
But you have highlighted another problem with burqas. They make it very difficult for the women who wear them to work in the outside world (where they will necessarily interact with men). As a result, it is hard for women who wear them to be independent (financially and otherwise). You are right, such women are stuck in a cleft stick which is not of their own making. Pretty sad really.
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