Removing the Veil

Warda Naili grew up in Montreal, Canada, but ever since 2011, when she started to wear a veil that covers her face, she’s endured almost daily harassment.

“Every time I go out, someone tells me something like, ‘It’s not Halloween’ or ‘Go back to your country,’” says the 33-year-old.

Now that Quebec, the Canadian province where she lives, has passed a law putting limits on full-face veils in public, Naili is afraid the harassment will get worse. “The law will only put oil on the fire,” she says.

The law will effectively bar Muslim women who wear face veils from using public transportation or obtaining public health-care services. It will also prohibit public workers like doctors and teachers from covering their faces at work. Experts say it’s the first such ban in North America.

For many Muslim women, covering their hair in public is a sign of modesty and an essential part of their faith. Some go further, covering their faces as well. The new law doesn’t specifically mention the burqa or niqab, types of Muslim coverings that conceal the face (see “A Guide to Muslim Veils,” below), but Canadian Muslims say the law singles them out for discrimination.

Quebec officials say the law is necessary for security reasons to be able to properly identify people in photo IDs (for example, to verify their bus pass). The measure is also meant to reduce the presence of religious symbols in public, reinforcing a principle of “religious neutrality,” they say.

Controversies over head coverings are becoming more common in some parts of the West, as immigration from the Middle East and North Africa increases. In Europe, France, Belgium, Austria, and Germany all have laws that seek to regulate the covering of women’s faces in public. The issue highlights an ongoing clash between ideas of religious freedom and national identity.

Warda Naili grew up in Montreal, Canada. In 2011, she started to wear a veil that covers her face. Since then, she’s endured almost daily harassment.

“Every time I go out, someone tells me something like, ‘It’s not Halloween’ or ‘Go back to your country,’” says the 33-year-old.

Quebec, the Canadian province where Naili lives, has passed a law putting limits on full-face veils in public. Now, she's afraid the harassment will get worse. “The law will only put oil on the fire,” she says.

The law will effectively bar Muslim women who wear face veils from engaging in public life. They won't be able to use public transportation or obtain public health-care services. It will also restrict public workers like doctors and teachers from covering their faces at work. Experts say it’s the first such ban in North America.

For many Muslim women, covering their hair in public is a sign of modesty and an essential part of their faith. Some go further, covering their faces as well. The new law doesn’t specifically mention the burqa or niqab, types of Muslim coverings that conceal the face (see “A Guide to Muslim Veils,” below). But Canadian Muslims say the law singles them out for discrimination.

Quebec officials say the law is necessary for security reasons. They say they need to be able to properly identify people in photo IDs (for example, to verify their bus pass). The measure is also meant to reduce the presence of religious symbols in public. This reinforces a principle of “religious neutrality,” they say.

Controversies over head coverings are becoming more common in some parts of the West. They're surfacing as immigration from the Middle East and North Africa increases. In Europe, France, Belgium, Austria, and Germany all have laws that seek to regulate the covering of women’s faces in public. The issue highlights an ongoing clash between ideas of religious freedom and national identity.    

Experts say the measures reflect a widespread fear of radical Islam and are, in part, a reaction to terrorist attacks in Europe carried out by Muslims. Such laws, they say, also seek to safeguard national or Western cultural values.

France in particular is a deeply secular society. It has long expected newcomers to assimilate culturally and sought to keep religion out of public life. In 2004, the country banned religious symbols in public schools, including large Christian crosses, Jewish skullcaps, and Muslim head scarves. A 2011 law prohibited niqabs in any public place.

In the U.S., the First Amendment and traditions of religious diversity have led to a greater acceptance of religious head coverings. 

Experts say the measures reflect a widespread fear of radical Islam. Experts consider the laws to be, in part, a reaction to terrorist attacks in Europe carried out by Muslims. Such laws, they say, also seek to safeguard national or Western cultural values.

France in particular is a deeply secular society. It has long expected newcomers to assimilate culturally. It's also sought to keep religion out of public life. In 2004, the country banned religious symbols in public schools. The ban includes large Christian crosses, Jewish skullcaps, and Muslim head scarves. A 2011 law prohibited niqabs in any public place.

In the U.S., the First Amendment and traditions of religious diversity have led to a greater acceptance of religious head coverings.

“The protections on the free exercise of religion are much stronger here,” says Gadeir Abbas, a lawyer at the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Head coverings are even protected by law. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch had discriminated against a 17-year-old Muslim girl by not hiring her because of her hijab.

Still, virtually all official photo IDs—including U.S. passports and state driver’s licenses—require the face to be seen. In 2003, a Florida judge ruled that the state didn’t violate a Muslim woman’s religious rights by insisting that her face had to appear on her license.

“The protections on the free exercise of religion are much stronger here,” says Gadeir Abbas, a lawyer at the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Head coverings are even protected by law. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch had discriminated against a 17-year-old Muslim girl by not hiring her because of her hijab.

Still, virtually all official photo IDs require the face to be seen. That includes U.S. passports and state driver’s licenses. In 2003, a Florida judge ruled that the state didn’t violate a Muslim woman’s religious rights by insisting that her face had to appear on her license.

In general, Canada has also become more accepting. The famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police now allow Muslim women to wear the hijab with the traditional red Mountie uniform.

Things are more complicated in Quebec. It’s the only Canadian province with a French-speaking majority and is protective of its difference from the rest of Canada. Like France, it seeks to retain its unique identity even as it absorbs immigrants from different cultures.

For now, it’s uncertain if Canada’s national government can or will challenge Quebec’s face-covering law. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed his disapproval with it, saying, “I don’t think it’s the government’s business to tell a woman what she should or shouldn’t be wearing.”

Quebec officials are trying to assure Canadians that the law will be applied fairly. For instance, they say a woman would have to show her face when boarding a bus with a photo ID but could remain veiled during the ride.

Says Quebec’s minister of justice, Stéphanie Vallée, “We do not have the intention of setting up an uncovered-face police.”

In general, Canada has also become more accepting. The famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police now allow Muslim women to wear the hijab with the traditional red Mountie uniform.

Things are more complicated in Quebec. It’s the only Canadian province with a French-speaking majority. It's also protective of its difference from the rest of Canada. Like France, it seeks to keep its unique identity while absorbing immigrants from different cultures.

For now, it’s uncertain if Canada’s national government can or will challenge Quebec’s face-covering law. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed his disapproval with it. “I don’t think it’s the government’s business to tell a woman what she should or shouldn’t be wearing," he said.

Quebec officials are trying to assure Canadians that the law will be applied fairly. For instance, they say a woman would have to show her face when boarding a bus with a photo ID but could remain veiled during the ride.

Says Quebec’s minister of justice, Stéphanie Vallée, “We do not have the intention of setting up an uncovered-face police.”

With reporting by Dan Levin of The Times.

With reporting by Dan Levin of The Times.