Nonsense aired on Muslim women’s headgear

LAST Friday’s Late Late Show featured a debate on Muslim women wearing veils that was memorable only for the ignorance of many contributors.

Very few seemed to know what they were talking about, with the exception of the woman who had studied Islam for five years.

Those who knew the facts scarcely got a word in; most of the time was given over to hot-headed guests who had strong opinions but little knowledge of the subject.

These people spouted nonsense; one even said that some Muslim women probably wore the veil as an act of rebellion against unorthodox parents, which I find hard to believe.

They spoke of the wearing of a burqa as though Muslim women wore it purposely to exclude others and ‘force their culture on us’.

In my opinion, this is completely false. Muslim women wear it to show their beliefs, as their ancestors did before them. To ask a Muslim woman to remove her head-dress would be like asking a non-Muslim to expose herself in a way she would find offensive. It’s unthinkable.

There were no Muslim women wearing burqas on the Late Late, only those wearing head-dresses and showing their faces. Can we not hear from burqa-wearers for a change?

Aoife Dowling (15)

Carrig Glen

Carrigrohane

Co Cork