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Rowan Williams says veil helps Muslim women assert themselves
Archbishop of Canterbury has 'never been much of a feminist', says Janet Street Porter
THE OUTGOING Archbishop of Canterbury has shown he will not leave quietly after he reopened the debate over the veil by insisting that the controversial garment can help Muslim women "assert themselves".
Dr Rowan Williams has questioned the view that women hide behind their veils and warned against "what we sometimes think of wrongly as stereotypes".
Speaking at The Sunday Times Literary Festival in Oxford at the weekend, the Archbishop said that his views were influenced by a recent encounter with a teenage Muslim pupil at a Church of Wales school.
"She told me how she would wear her veil and yet take part, too, in some of the school's Christian lessons. It gave her an understanding of Christianity and yet wearing her veil was also very important for her to assert herself and her religion," said Williams, who will step down as Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of this year.
But Janet Street Porter was quick to attack, writing in the Daily Mail: "I can't see how covering your entire body in a hot, shapeless piece of cloth is any step forward for womankind."
Adding that she had never seen Williams as "much of a feminist", she said: "If he cares so much about empowering women, how come he's dragged his feet for years over appointing female bishops?"
Dr Williams might find a more sympathetic hearing with Conservative party chairman Baroness Warsi, who said in 2010 - the last time the issue hit the opinion pages - that a full-face veil does not prevent Muslim women "engaging in everyday life". Others, including Jack Straw, have argued that it makes fostering good community relations more difficult.
This is not the first time the Archbishop has courted controversy with comments on Islam. In 2008 he called for aspects of Sharia law to be adopted in Britain to improve community relations, saying the UK had to "face up to the fact" that some citizens do not relate to the British legal system. ·
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Rowan Williams or Rowan Atkinson?
With a leader of the Anglican church who is an apologist for Islam, it is no wonder he has seen a constant fall in his church during his time. Maybe he should start looking out for members of the Anglican Communion in other countries who are repressed by Islamic majorities, rather than trying to defend Moslims here.
If Islam is so great Mr Bean, why don't you convert?
slip into retirement dhimmi and keep your retarded, unqualified comments to yourself. good riddance to trash like rowan williams
If asked, this idiot would probably say that God had given him a brain.
Why doesn't he ever use it?
The veil is forced upon Muslim women by the males of their society and has everything to do with helping to PREVENT Muslim women asserting themselves!!
It is not required by the Qu'ran but is purely an arbitrary item forced on women by Muslim men!
Williams should adopt a very good maxim - "A closed mouth gathers no feet"!
Poor old Rowan as had such a hard time trying to assert himself as Archbishop of Canterbury. Perhaps putting a sack over his head would have helped?
Jay obviously knows nothing about Islam so please refraining from putting your brain cell under pressure.
I applaud Dr Rowan who shows more insight & empathy to the muslim woman than Janet Street Porter (really a role model for women to aspire to? - does state of undress really equal empowered? I think not!) To folks like Jay, why not actually find out what we muslim women who chose to cover (especially after a long time spent as a non-muslim not covering!) feel, the true oppression is not cloth, it is attitude - that goes for any person regardless of race/religion class etc.. who only conforms to what a significant other or increasingly 'social 'norms' demand & dictate.
There are some serious issues going on in the world, yet, the paradox is, that most people could not care less for muslims per se, aren't especially concerned or even sometimes kind to muslim women, yet like to get most offended by women they don't like wearing fabric in a way they don't like!
Don't care how they dress in there own country, But I do In mine...Not bothered what anyone thinks Of my opinin I am British born and bred...
How sad, thgought you lot were supposed to get less ignorant with time. I am borna nd bred british, muslim and proud and i will wear what i damn like in my OWN country! Try reading (not the daily mail) maybe it will help you be a balanced memeber of OUR society
Jay, you obviously have not spoken to a Muslim woman. Why dont you try that, and just for a couple of days, try not to listen to what you like to hear on the news or what you like to read about islam in the papers. And dont be afraid to go to the masjid to get info even if you are not a Muslim. If the imam chases you out, i'll be the first to knock on his head.