Quebec Bars People With Face Coverings From Getting Public Services

[Purveyor]

By Madison Park, CNN
Updated 12:42 AM ET, Thu October 19, 2017

(CNN)Quebec's lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would require workers in public-sector jobs and citizens seeking government services to have their faces uncovered.

Bill 62 would affect whether Muslim women could wear religious face covering such as a niqab or burqa on government jobs or when they appear in-person for government services.

The Liberal government's bill on religious neutrality was passed in Quebec's National Assembly, reported CBC, CNN partner. The bill needs the lieutenant-governor's assent to become law in the province.

"We are just saying that for reasons linked to communication, identification and safety, public services should be given and received with an open face," said Premier Philippe Couillard of Quebec.

more...

http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/19/americas/quebec-face-covering-bill/index.html

[Jake Stern]

1. I agree with the Premier

Time to stop enabling this oppressive bullshit in the name of "religious freedom". Even the nuns I encounter in my volunteer work have overwhelmingly ditched the veil and wear street clothes.

As for the comparison to large crosses and kippot: neither hide the wearer's face. Try wearing a ski mask into a government building or bank and see how far you get.

[arthritisR_US]

2. I totally agree.

[Retrograde]

3. Even the old habits

that nuns wore pre-Vatican II did not conceal their faces (they were mostly based on widow's garb from the late European middle ages). A hijab provides similar identity and exposure, and doesn't get in the way of its wearer leading an active 21st century Western iife.

I agree that the more extreme coverings - such as burkas and chadoors - are meant to limit women's access to public life. If people want to be separate from society at large, fine - but they shouldn't be able to pick and choose which parts they want.