There are rules in school, and exactly like 'gangsta-kids' aren't allowed to go to school with their underwear showing, Muslim women shouldn't be treated specially. Religion doesn't deserve unnecessary respect. All people should have to follow the same laws.

I can only answer for myself but as a woman I find women wearing burqa's totally offensive. To see a woman forced to walk behind her husband,brothers and sons is just as offensive but that has nothing to do with clothing as the OP's question wanted an answer on. Having said that, I think you may find that the countries demanding women not wear burqa's are making the stance from a security standpoint and not a religious one and I think it has valid conerns considering the raising numbers of female suicide bombers and fanaticals. In a day and age where security cameras monitor our every move in an attempt to deter crime and identify criminals with more ease, a it would take is one burqa wearing bomber in a western country to have most western countries banning the burqa. So in summing up I guess what I am saying is instead of looking at blaming the governments for making these decisions, the bame should be at the fanaticals who have forced us all to be more secuity concious.

Both are oppression..forcing a woman to cover as what happens in afganistan and iran..lol love iran, arresting woman on the street for not being dressed properly....and please tell me where, except in Turkey, where woman can not go into goverment buildings in hijabb, are WOMAN FORCeD NOT TO COVER..that is stupid..

I would consider both to be oppressive laws, but I don't know exactly what you're referring to. The only country I can think of that has a law forcing women to not cover themselves is Turkey.

why cover at all . we are born naked and should stay that way . why is me been naked banned ? when i can be naked in a street in a country that allows hjabs/bhurkas.then i have no problem .

I would like to point out, much to the shegrin of anti and sharp but to the love of those that DR, Hijab is expected of BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. It is in a society of women that want to wantonly sexualize themselves that people have issues with modesty. Both men AND women wear hijab. You keep talking about these nations where you see the women in burqas, do you pay attention in those pictures of what the men are wearing? The men are ALSO wearing hijab. The human body hasn't changed but our desire to show it off has. There is nothing wrong with women being modes...there is nothing wrong with men being modest. you guys talk about the laws of the nations...you aren't really paying attention to the fact that those nations have formed their own laws and opinions based on their own society that you can not understand. I would guess that there isn't a single answerbagger that has more understanding of the nuances of the nation of Iran better than the royal family and his cabinet of advisors. So it would be foolish to say "I don't like is so make a new law" I don't condone any FORCED circumstance that makes people do things that are non-religious or against their professed practiced religion. If there are laws that ALLOW for people to practice...like the 1st ammendmant, that is a sovereign right for that citizen. You can't take that away any more than someone can take away free speech. For those that say "the gov't shouldn't step in and make laws that have to do with religion"...thos are people that haven't done the research to see that there are nations that actually use holy scriptures as THEIR CONSTITUTION. Which means that their nation is LITERALLY founded on the religion and the laws of the religion ARE the laws of the land. Stop being so arrogant to say that the way you live and the rules you believe in are the ONLY ONES that are acceptable in EVERY nation EVERYWHERE. Learn that life is different in every household in every city in every country on the planet...just because something works for you doesn't mean it works for them or that your way is right. DR away

It is certainly oppressive if a Muslim woman or Sikh man is not allowed to wear a hijab, veil or turban in public. I do not believe that the law in general should tell people how to dress. However, in some circumstances, things are a bit more complicated. It could be argued that in government institutions or in the workplace additional concerns apply. Some would argue that wearing religious clothing is a form of religious display or advertising. On the street, this is not a problem. If you do not like the way somebody is dressed, you just wait a moment and they will be gone. In the workplace however, you cannot walk away. Some might argue that religious clothing in the workplace is a form of sectarian harassment. In government institutions in some countries, it could be argued that permitting religious displays in government buildings is unconstitutional. According to this line of reasoning, preventing the wearing of religious clothing at work or in government buildings is actually promoting religious freedom and the very opposite of oppression. Some might argue that freedom of religion or expression includes the right to a neutral work environment and the right to be free from people waving their religion in your face all day in the workplace.

Both laws are equally dickish.

Kindly smash in your caps lock key with a large sledge hammer.