Last week a 15-year-old girl, Sarah Benkiran, was told she could no longer referee for the Lac St. Louis Soccer Association. It wasn't because of her age, her qualifications as a referee or because of anything she did wrong. It was simply because she wears a hijab.
Religious freedoms, multiculturalism and reasonable accommodation have been on the forefront of the public discourse here in Quebec lately. In 2009, a woman wearing a niqab was kicked out of a publicly-funded French language class, which led to the introduction of Bill 94 in the National Assembly, barring niqabs from any public or governmental institution. Sikhs were denied access to the Quebec legislature earlier this year, which prompted Louise Beaudoin of the Parti Québecois to state:
"Religious freedom exists but there are other values. For instance, multiculturalism is not a Quebec value. It may be a Canadian one but it is not a Quebec one".
As offensive and acerbic as this statement may seem at face value, it is worth pointing out that it is true. Quebec has never embraced multiculturalism as one of its policies, and isn't likely to start in the near future. In a province that prides itself on repressive, Draconian language laws such as Bill 101, we should not be surprised that multiculturalism is not something that is on the vanguard of Quebec policy.
However, there is a difference between not adhering to the Canadian notion of multiculturalism and flat out discrimination, and it's staring right at us through Ms. Benkiran. This situation has nothing to do with multiculturalism, or reasonable accommodation. It is about people hiding behind the guise of rules in order to effectively discriminate against Muslim women.
FIFA banned the hijab in 2007 from the soccer field because it posed a choking hazard to players, and recently the ban was extended to neck warmers for the same reason. Makes sense. If my years as a college athlete taught me anything, it was that safety comes first. Although, Ms. Benkiran is not playing on the field, she's reffing. OK, let's try again.
Quebec Soccer Federation president, Dino Madonis, stated that Lac St. Louis Soccer Association is simply upholding Law 4 of FIFA, which states, "The basic compulsory equipment must not have any political, religious or personal statements."
Ah, strike two.Yet again; this does not seem to apply to the situation at hand since the rule in question is referring to what is acceptable to wear amongst players.
In fact, Law 5 of the FIFA Laws of the Game makes no mention of referees being upheld to the same standard as players when it comes to the dangers of wearing equipment that has any political, religious or personal statements. (Go ahead, read the rules for yourself here.)
Moreover, if I may act as a whistleblower (pun semi-intended) to the entire rationale behind FIFA's very own rules, doesn't a nation's flag constitute a political statement? Does that mean that every jersey with a nation's colours, flag or crest would be deemed contradictory to the very rules set in place by FIFA?
The Lac St. Louis soccer Association and the Quebec Soccer Federation are hiding behind FIFA rules and claims that in order for the rules to be amended Ms. Benkiran must address the world soccer association. While she's addressing them she should ask what the world soccer association's views are on having games officiated by 15-year-olds. I'm guessing it's frowned upon.
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CTV Montreal exclusive: Soccer referee sidelined for wearing hijab
Une arbitre congédiée pour avoir porté le hijab
If you allow referees to wear religious attire, it won't take long (especially on a professional level) before people start blaming their losses on religious conflicts, ie. "we only lost because the referee is Muslim", "he only got a red card because his name is Mohammed and the referee is Jewish".
It's an accident waiting to happen.
when i was at mcgill, i would constantly get rude remarks by STM drivers for not speaking french, even though i'm american...and when i did try and speak french, i would get even more made fun of. montreal is a great city, but quebec is awful.
Yes, McGill is an English school, but if a Francophone student can communicate with their professor in French why not? It happens all the time in US, I have seen professors talk to students in Spanish, Arabic, or whatever language if it seems that's the most comfortable with them.
You can't asses the hospitality of a city with the reaction you get from public transit employees. I get rude treatment from them no matter what city I go. I am an American, and visit Montreal and Quebec all the time, and so long as I make an effort to speak French and treated quite well. People have treated me quite well despite being an American.
Your values most certainly don't align with the rest of Canada IMHO.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/supriya-dwivedi/bollywood-sex-trafficking-india_b_891907.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/supriya-dwivedi/bollywood-sex-trafficking-india_b_891907.html
I think it is important that we welcome multiculturalism, because in my opinion, it's a symbiotic relationship. Canada needs immigrants for it's society (as do a lot of other western nations because their birth rates are so low, we are almost close to not even replacing themselves). And these immigrants need security that Canada offers. And plus, immigrants have to go through a system, so it's not like every willy nilly can come to this country. Canada brings in the creme de la creme.
As far as the article goes, I do not feel that the media would have particular interest in what goes on in India, and I do not see a reason why they should. I am sure, we should raise awareness about violence against women. But I wouldn't belittle the media for not bringing it up. That is something that the government of India would be concerned about, and may be the Indians here would feel sympathetic to the plight of women in India.
if French people are so anti religion, why wasn't there any French media criticism of the Saguenay mayor who kept saying prayers before his meetings?
I'm pretty sure that's what anti semites tell me when they try and justify their views on judaism to me.
And I don't think people in Québec are racist. We have a big problem with religion, (and it started with ours) and often if we have something in our mind, you'll know it. But it's not only us. Every time there is a controversy about reasonable accommodation here, english journalist bash us (and THIS is not discrimination...). But when you look at the comments of the people (english canadians), it's surprising to see how many (about 85%) of the readers aggrees with what the Québécois think and do.
As a general statement with regards to kids that age these days, have you seen kids these days? 15 year olds do not look and act like 15 year olds. Heck I have seen 15 year olds that look older than I do. I feel like kids themselves are jumping a head, wanting to be old, acting old and in fact, becoming old.
cultural war in societies with a small number of veiled Muslim women.'"
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/what-women-wear-is-their-business-20100507-ujlz.html
That's right.
But it has a lot to do to do with oppression these women are subjected to by fundamentalist rulers of Iran.
And even more to do with those incapable of admitting this fact due to religious indoctrination.
It seems to me that Christians are often accused of imposing their values on non-believers so why do you think it's OK for non-Muslims to impose their values on Muslim women? What happened to a 'woman's right to control her own body'?
I've seen plenty of interviews on Al-Jazeera by intelligent articulate women who are veiled and unveiled. They seem quite capable of navigating the difference between individual choice and the excesses of repressive regimes like Iran and Saudi Arabia.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/06/201162410475248638.html
I recently read a memoir from a Muslim physician who did a residency in Saudi Arabia. She was shocked to find that, while the women wore abayas in public, they loved having parties and get togethers in which they sported the chic western attire. Even in the face of an oppressive culture, women have a knack for finding a creative edge.
I've seen wives kick out their husbands out of the house so that they can party and the lady guests can walk about in whatever they please, and dance, etc.
nowhere does it say that a hijab can't be worn to ref.
and if FIFA wants to uphold its rules to a statutory interpretation, they should not allow flags on uniforms either, since it can be construed as a political statement.
A hijab is a scaf. I wouldn't consider it an identity concealing garment. The burka and possibly niquab would fall into that category and is an entirely different story because the conceal the wearer's face.
and comment on that thread defending women's rights.
although, i have a suspicion that your views won't be as in favour of equality of the sexes as you promote here.