Denying Women Canadian Citizenship Does Nothing to Fight Opression

Are Stephen Harper and the Conservatives actually trying to argue that denying a woman citizenship for wearing the niqab is somehow promoting equal rights?  It would seem to me that by denying a woman citizenship, the government is actually contributing to oppression rather than fighting it. 

Ironically, many of the same people that are so offended by the niqab are the same people that are also offended by topless women sunbathing on the beach.  One thing it would seem that all cultures and societies have in common is that to varying degrees they all feel justified in imposing a standard of modesty on women.  If a woman breaks the established standard she may subjected to harassment and potentially physical assault.  One only has to look at how often what a woman was wearing is discussed in sexual assault trials to find evidence of this.

If Mr. Harper wants to challenge the oppression of women, he should re-establish funding to Status of Women Canada rather than stand in judgment on women wearing a niqab.




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