In 2011 the French parliament passed a law banning the Hijab and the Burka, religious garments worn by Muslim women. The parliament claimed that banning these religious garments would be a move that would stand up for women's rights and freedom of expression, although I find that argument an oxymoron, because if you are banning a type of clothing a woman might wear in public, then you are inhibiting her freedom.
In fact, many Muslim women say that wearing these things that cover parts of their bodies make them feel empowered because then men have to deal with what they say, and not the size of their breasts or the color of their hair.
And finally, I tend to get very annoyed with the special focus on Islam that the west seems to have. Orthodox Judaism, for instance has similar laws of modesty that govern how women and men can dress.
As a progressive and as an atheist, I find that Islam, like any other religion has old fashioned rules that we shouldn't be following in the present day. But I also believe that if you truly want to live in a free and democratic society, you can't start limiting such a basic freedom as what people can wear.
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