Why it's always hard for veiled girl to work in france?

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Rillifane

I suspect that women who choose to wear a veil wil;l have difficulties in any part of the Western world. The veil is not part of western culture and is seen as an intrusion, an affront, or a rejection by foreign influence.

The Christian West has a long history of being forced to defend itself against Islam. Remember that Islam began its relationship with the West by unprovoked aggression and has continued to attack for almost 13 centuries.

Anyone with a knowledge of history knows that the Middle East, North Africa, and Anatolia were once part of Hellenistic/Roman world and Christian.

France, in part, was defined by the defeat of the Muslim invaders by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in 732.

So to begin with, wearing the veil is seen as a form of cultural aggression by a traditional enemy of the West in general and France in particular.

The problem is even worse in France that has, since the French Revolution, generally been a relentlessly secular state. The early revolutionaries tried to abolish all religion, starting with Christianity. The separation of Church and State and the active diminution of the influence of any religion has been the policy of successive French governments for over two centuries.

Further, the French government firmly holds to the principal that all French citizens are French and French only. Accepting French culture is a vital part of this. French culture is not Islamic but firmly rooted in modern, liberal, secular and democratic traditions of the West. The veil is seen as an attempt to dilute that principle by creating an identifiable subgroup of French citizens and as a rejection of modern secular values.

Cabal

As Rilifane said we are secular. Religion is something that is private life, not something that you push in the face of others. And the basis of being French is French first, then you can be whatever you want to be. And no, you don't have a choice, there's no 'a la carte' Frenchness. But if you're French you also follow the rules, religion is something you do at home, in public space you are religion neutral. When you wear the veil you say that you refuse to be French and we don't like that.

Second point also hit by Rillifane, we believe that the veil is a sign of inferiority. That belief has been enhanced by what happened a few years back, when the Muslims groups tried to force the government to accept the veil in secular public schools. They were too greedy and also asked for changes in what was taught, how it was taught, and that 'good' Muslim girls be excused from some subjects (science, sports...). The government reacted by giving TV time to organisations like Ni Putes Ni Soumises (neither whores nor submissive) who spoke about the treatment of French Muslim girls by their own people in the banlieues. Because of that the idea that a veil is a sign of submission and bad treatment is now well anchored in the mind of the French. So we react badly to women who wear them.

Third point, there is latent racism in France against Arabs, I won't go into details but we have a hard time assimilating the North African Arabic population that is now part of France. It is hard enough for them to get a job, add a veil to that and I can guarantee that no mainstream company or shop will hire her.

angelguy_paris

Depending of where she works....but in some muslim countries it is also difficult to work for these women. I have a friend from Indonesia who use to wear a jilbab, but she had to take it out because it was to difficult for her to find a job in Indonesia...

Veil is not forbiddent for women in France, but no veil it is in some muslim countries...so

EmyP.

Wow! These people sure are informative! lol, well, I think they have the right of it. It's not all that common for people to see veils here, but I guess American culture is more accepting. Yeah, I guess the struggle for racial equality is most likely still on fire in that specific country. Just try your best to show them that a veil doesn't make you a mouse. Show them you're tough and can take care of business! (That's the American approach anyways.) lol, don't go picking fights!

Good luck!!

Stan

What Rillifane said plus a veil is offensive to the Western women's struggle to achieve equality.

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