Free to choose how we dress

Re Many reasons to fight or support niqab ban, Letters, Oct. 28 I find it interesting that all the respondents to your editorial are male. They ignore the excellent column in the Star Oct. 25 by Windsor law student Leenat Jilani.

As she wrote: “In fact, it is not about you. It is about the veiled woman, about all women in general. Do not make the bodies of women a stage to play your dirty politics. Let us decide what is good for us. Let us speak for ourselves. Let us do what we want.”

Freedom to choose how we dress must be upheld. I personally hate the unfriendly, fearsome veil and am repulsed by it. I can’t understand it. But it certainly isn’t hurting me. Losing my freedom as to how we all dress and express ourselves would remove a basic freedom we enjoy as Canadians. This truly would be hurtful. Cynthia Venables, Stratford, Ont. In his letter supporting the niqab ban, Donald Cangiano states “This is Canada.” Well, just which Canada is he referring to?

Historically, “Kanada” was the territory reigned over by Indigenous chief Donnaconna along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. When his people were pushed off their land, the European invaders co-opted “Canada” as the name of their colonies.

Or perhaps he is referring to the “Canada” that has, over the years, barred Sikhs, Chinese and Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust. Happily, we now welcome all groups, regardless of their religious attire. Get used to it. Ron Brown, East York