France once again demonstrated its hatred of Muslims: the hijab was banned at the Olympics
France never bans revealing clothing in sports, but it freely bans women from wearing more revealing clothing at the Olympics. This is blatant sex discrimination based on cultural and religious values.
People of the world generally understand Islam as an "unfair" religion, especially for women, as an "oppressive" religion. Such Islamophobic rhetoric is not only illogical, but also a serious and deliberate misinterpretation of Islam. France recently banned Muslim women from wearing the hijab, a form of modesty and protection from male gazes, at this year's Olympics. Hijab is usually associated with oppression, when in fact it is a conscious choice that Muslim women make for themselves.
France has long been Islamophobic towards Muslims, who make up 10 percent of its total population. In particular, in 2004, the French Senate passed a bill banning headscarves in public schools. This led to another ban in 2010 restricting Muslim women from wearing the burqa. A 2017 survey found that 69 percent of French people consider Islam an inappropriate religion for France, while more than 75 mosques are under strict surveillance by the French government. Discrimination against Muslims in the workplace is also common, and Muslims are twice as likely to find work as Christians. These deep-rooted incidents of Islamophobia are no accident or mere mistake. It is a conscious effort to humiliate and humiliate Muslims in France in order to distinguish them from other religions.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera announced the hijab ban at the Olympics last year. With France hosting the Olympics this year, the organizing committee saw an opportunity to once again target Muslims. As the Olympics approach, opposition is growing because France has violated not only the International Declaration of Human Rights, but also the Olympic Charter, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, and religion. Despite defending anti-discrimination values, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not taken serious steps to condemn France's decision to ban the hijab for Muslim athletes. The IOC only issued a statement saying that France's ban on the hijab in sports was outside the scope of the Olympic movement, adding that "religious freedom is interpreted differently by different countries."
The Olympic Games are a measure of muscular strength and athleticism, not religious values that reflect a person's choice of clothing. France's claim to be making progress on gender equality and achieving a 50:50 male-to-female ratio at this year's Olympics is largely hypocritical. Gender equality cannot be achieved by restricting women from wearing the clothing of their choice. France never bans revealing clothing in sports, but it freely bans women from wearing more revealing clothing at the Olympics. This is blatant sex discrimination based on cultural and religious values.
Why the French government is so cruel to the millions of Muslims living in the country is a very incomprehensible matter. Cultural stereotypes and persistent media misrepresentations are key factors fueling Islamophobic violence. Likewise, France's anti-Muslim policies and past misdeeds play a leading role in changing public opinion about Muslims.
