Has multiculturalism gone too far? Will criticism of Islam ultimately be criminalized? Or will there be a civil liberties pushback? http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/...otested+sharia+acceptable/14426995/story.html Daphne Bramham: Pride float against Sharia law a go in '11, no in '17 DAPHNE BRAMHAM (Vancouver Sun) Published: August 27, 2017 Updated: August 29, 2017 1:40 PM Filed Under:The Province > News > Columnists 082817-no_object-0829_col_bramham-W.jpg Cirque de So Gay is a group of mainly Middle Eastern gay and transgender men who marched in the 2011 Vancouver Gay Pride Parade, dancing and throwing off their niqabs to highlight the oppression of women in countries like Iran. SUBMITTED / VANCOUVER SUN 082817-no_object-X000-0829_col_bramham-S.jpg FILE PHOTO Cirque de So Gay is a group of mainly Middle Eastern gay and transgender men who marched in the 2011 Vancouver Gay Pride Parade, dancing and throwing off their niqabs to highlight the oppression of women in countries like Iran.SUBMITTED / VANCOUVER SUN Shawn Shirazi is angry about cultural relativism and the growing unwillingness of people here to criticize radical Islam for fear of being labelled racist or Islamophobic. Born in Iran, Shirazi immigrated to Vancouver where he became a founding member of Cirque de So Gay, an activist group of gay and transgender Middle Eastern men. For several years, the group marched in the Pride Parade and even won an award for their originality. But this year, its application was rejected as “culturally insensitive.” The rejection is a microcosm of what Shirazi calls “hypocrisy” when it comes to global human rights, but what others argue is showing respect for other cultures and religious traditions. Its application described it as “casting off the shroud of oppression to unveil the Persian Princess beneath … The Islamic attire is more than just a piece of black fabric. It’s a tool used by governments to impose absolute control and authority over their citizens and even tourists.” The intent was to encourage dialogue about oppression and individual freedom, “so people can express themselves as they choose, without threat of being flogged, stoned or beheaded.” It was all too much for the parade organizers. Vancouver Pride Society’s co-executive director Andrea Arnot said in an interview that organizers thought Cirque de So Gay made light of a nuanced issue. “Many women choose to wear burkas. It’s part of their identity, their religion and their culture,” she said. “Of course, there are places where it’s enforced.” Arnot says organizers found its proposal “quite shocking.” “When I asked other people who are from that cultural or religious background, they said it was offensive,” she said. “I definitely wanted to be sensitive to what is happening in our communities right now.” Yet, what Cirque de So Gay proposed was exactly what it did at the 2011 Vancouver Pride Parade — dancers threw off their body and face coverings to reveal very little underneath. So, what’s changed? Nothing and almost everything. Not much in countries like Iran where theocratic governments require women to dress in certain ways whether it’s the full-coverage burka, the face-covering (with eyes showing) niqab or a hijab head scarf, with face showing. That’s despite growing protests such as #WhiteWednesdays in Iran where women replace their usual black hijabs for white ones. It’s an extension of the My Stealthy Freedom movement that began after Iranian exile Masih Alinejad posted a photo of herself outside with her hair uncovered. But closer to home, the political climate is changing. There’s Trump, his attempted Muslim bans, and Charlottesville, while in Canada there have been hate crimes. This January, a gunman opened fire on Muslims praying at a Quebec City mosque, killing six men and wounding 19 others. In July, the same mosque received a defaced Qur’an and a note suggesting that they use a hog farm as their cemetery. The responses have been varied. Quebec’s Bill 62 would ban the provision of government services to anyone wearing a niqab or a burka. Ostensibly, it’s being done in the name of secularism over religion, although that rings a bit hollow when a crucifix hangs in its National Assembly. Federally, the Liberal government has gone in the opposite direction. In 2015, it ended Ottawa’s four-year court battle to force women to unveil when taking the oath of citizenship. The issue of religious/cultural/ethnic accommodation and whether the state has any right to force anyone — women or men — to wear (or not wear) certain items of clothing bedevilled candidates at this weekend’s federal NDP leadership debate. At one end of the spectrum is Niki Ashton, who fully supports Quebec’s proposed ban. At the other is Jagmeet Singh, who acknowledged that his own choice to wear a turban and beard — symbols of his Sikh religious beliefs — may well cost him votes. Cloaked within the niqab debate, hidden by notions of cultural relativism, multiculturalism and accommodation is the more serious question. What exactly are Canadians doing within all communities both here and abroad to promote, empower and enhance women’s rights so that women can make choices about everything from what they will wear to what they will do with their lives? Iranian exile and activist Alinejad frequently talks about being silenced. “It doesn’t matter where I am whenever I want to talk about women’s rights, there are a lot of people saying ‘Shhh, not now here in the West,’” she said recently. “‘Shhh. Islamophobia. Donald Trump is around.’ ‘Shhh. This is not the right time now to talk about extremism and the restrictive laws, the Sharia laws.’” In their small way, that silencing is what Shirazi and his group, who have their own experiences with oppression, thought they could highlight. But what they were told was ‘Shhh. Not here. Not now. We don’t want to fuel Islamaphobia.’ dbramham@postmedia.com twitter.com@daphnebramham CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.
Criticism of muslims is forbidden. You might get yourself, or your organization, blown up because of it. I'm not making jokes either, many of these decisions on based on fear of Muslim reprisals being masqueraded as multiculturalism.
