muslim women

The French government is considering proposing legislation that would ban Muslim women from wearing burqas or full-face veils, the Washington Post reports.

After the parliamentary commission presents formal recommendations for legislation Jan. 26, France will likely begin the process of banning burqas and veils in public facilities or even streets such as the famed Champs Elysees. One French lawmaker has already formally proposed that women be banned from wearing veils anywhere in public.

Although women’s groups and more than 200 members of Parliament support the proposed bans, young Muslim women in France say they wear the veil to adhere to the teachings of fundamentalist Islam, not because of male oppression. French Defense Minister Herve Morin has already predicted that such a sweeping ban would be unconstitutional.