Do Burkas Impinge on Women's Freedom of Choice

A lot of Americans are uncomfortable with the fact that woman in Muslim nations wear Burkas that cover their whole body. To most of my readers the image above may cause anger and/or empathy. Let’s take a step back – are we justified in having these kinds of emotions towards this image? What makes us believe it’s wrong to have woman wear Burkas? After all, a lot of these woman would say they choose to dress this way, does that still make it wrong? The most typical argument against Burkas, in my opinion, is this one:

Would these women still choose to wear a Burka if they weren’t raised in a society or household that advocates it?

The answer may seems to be ‘no’. After all, how many women do we see wear Burkas who don’t live in a Muslim society and/or household? Not many or none at all.

Lets turn the tables, how many American women would still choose to dress the way they do if they weren’t raised in a society or household that advocates westernized ideologies?



How often do you see this type of attire being worn by American girls? I see these ‘fashion uniforms’ on a daily basis. The variety of clothes seen today is virtually as homogeneous to that of Saudi Arabia. It may seem as if Burkas are all alike, but there are differences that a foreigner may not pick up on. Similarly, a non-westerner may think that the American attire is all the same with no substantial differences.

Does anyone really choose what to wear? When a muslim woman living in Saudi Arabia says she chooses to wear a Burka, you may think she is delusional. Unless she wants to be ostracized from her society, she will choose to wear a Burka. What about Americans, do we choose to wear suits, tuxedos, skirts, tank tops, etc.? Unless we want to miss out on job opportunities, or potential relationship we too will choose from a limited wardrobe. In every society, the choice of what to wear is a highly influenced by the culture. The argument that women don’t have a choice to wear a Burka is accurate, but it doesn’t prove an inequality because other societies also lack this freedom of apparel (most likely to a lesser degree).

This is why I propose a new argument that better emphasizes the injustice that Burkas entail. I call this the “C’mon its Shitty Under That Thing,” Argument. If you have ever dressed up as a ninja or smelled a really bad fart, you know what it’s like to have a piece of cloth cover your mouth and nose for a long period of time. It’s ridiculous, you can’t breathe fast, your clothes gets soaked with saliva, and it itchier than a Christmas sweater! Nobody should ever experience such an injustice.

Ok it’s not the best argument ever, but c’mon it's pretty shitty under that thing.