Giuliana Sgrena, a famous Italian journalist, a feminist and a war reporter, expresses her opinion about the burqa.
She believes that those who defend it in the name of identity, of tradition or religion are hypocrites or are ignorant. Traditions change. The Qur’an doesn’t prescribe the veil or the burqa. Both are forbidden even by the Great Muftì of Al Azhar, the most important Sunni authority.
Sgrena claims that the burqa is Wahabbi, representing the strictest version of Islam. She asks: “do we want to help these women to emancipate, or do we prefer supporting and strengthening a patriarchal-tribal-sexist system that uses the veil to control women’s sexuality?”
By wearing the veil, Muslims argue, a woman assures male honor by hiding her tempting body.
Italy is framing the burqa issue in terms of security. But according to Sgrena, the burqa doesn’t concern security, rather women’s dignity and rights. In her opinion, we shouldn’t support these women living isolated behind veils. It is crucial to provide them with the same rights that we, as Italian women, have hard-earned: once we do that, we can also demand respect for our laws. Only justice and equality can suppress the violation of human rights and intolerance.
