An event taking place next August made the news today. Why? Because of its dress code.
The dress code - which requires people to cover their thighs, shoulders and everything in-between - has received quite a lot of publicity.
This is surprising considering the event: a two hour, after hours swimming lesson.
Perhaps the "outcry" is less surprising when you consider the reasons behind it are religious - the ban was designed to accommodate Muslim women during Ramadan.
I know religion is a great way to stir up controversy, but in this case, I'm not sure it's warranted.
A woman interviewed on SBS news expressed the view that people like her shouldn't have to cover up for people like them. As far as I can tell, no one's asking her to. And even if she is planning to attend this particular swimming lesson, would it be so terrible to wear board shorts and a t-shirt just this once?
I think religion has a lot to answer for, but there's something to be said for choosing your battles.
Interesting. I've just been reading a lot of the comments on the Herald Sun article, and it seems most people are angry because of what they feel this represents. So for them it isn't necessarily a trivial 2 hour community swimming event, it's about a fear of the abolishment of 'Aussie' rights and culture in the name of religious sensitivity (some mention Christmas carols being banned in schools, etc) - and then the slippery slope arguments and panicky thoughts about Sharia law, beating wives, and burqas begin. I guess they feel that if they don't fight the small battles, it will escalate into a much larger battle.
ReplyDeleteI found this comment interesting: "I am currently living in Saudi Arabia, and if this ban has passed in Australia to help the Muslims feel like part of the community, Maybe I should see if they will lift the law of wearing abbayas and being fully covered on Australia Day here next year so we can all walk around in singlets and thongs, so that we expats feel more of the community here? I came here, I respect and abide by the Islamic law and restricitons. Surely if muslim people choose to live in Australia, they should need to respect and accept australians choices too?"
There's a lot of that sentiment in the comments - Muslims are inflexible so we can't afford to be flexible, they chose to come to Australia, if they don't like it they can go back to their own country, etc etc etc. And I think people are far more likely to feel negatively about accommodating Muslims than they are about Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, etc because of terrorism, the taliban, sharia law, and the publicity surrounding remarks made by clerics about Australian culture. There is far, far more fear about Muslims out there.
Anyway, just throwing all that out there! It's an interesting issue and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. And yet somehow, my comment seems to have grown longer than your actual blog post ;)
I love it when a comment outgrows a post. Your point that part of the fuss is based on speculation as to where this kind of concession might lead is an important one.
ReplyDeleteI also agree the response is a sign of the times. It seems that people are increasingly rejecting the notion that "what's true for you" and "what's true for me" can be contradictory but equally valid. If they are, it's not truth - it's something else.
Now it's more like, "if you must insist on believing a lie, don't go trying to impose it on me".
I actually prefer this - I'd rather someone challenge my beliefs than be dismissive and/or patronising.
But it's also important to remember there is no neutral worldview. A person who's an atheist - or a government that's secular - is no more objective than anyone else. They too are at risk of imposing their values on others...