Polimom greatly treasures the fact that my nation isn’t governed by religious law — particularly laws that restrict women.
There are, of course, millions of Muslim women living in secular countries who consciously and deliberately choose to cover themselves, and when it’s a choice, I think it’s not only supportable, but admirable. In some quarters, though, there’s been quite a bit of pushback against hijab — and you just know somebody’s going to use this as yet another reason to try to ban burqas, or other face coverings:
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan soldiers have captured a Taliban leader who tried to flee a security operation in the south dressed in a burqa, NATO said on Wednesday.
It’s great that they captured him… but oh, how very unfortunate for devout Muslim women that this man chose to emasculate himself behind their religious veils.
Good comments, polimom. I’m curious how they knew it was a man under the burqa.
Maybe his beard gave him away?
~EdT.
LOL, EdT. I’m assuming it was a completely covering Afghani style burqa that hides the face…
You’re probably right, of course… but the visual struck me as funny, nonetheless.
However, I do suspect that something in his mannerisms gave him away: maybe how he walked, or stood, or possibly he reeked of tobacco (are Afghan men allowed to smoke? I suspect the women aren’t.)
~EdT.