France's Hijab Obsession
The 2024 Olympics have officially commenced and many eyes are watching as the world’s top athletes gather in Paris to compete. While this should be a time focusing on the physical achievements, the French government has also used this time to reinforce their blatant obsession with the physical appearance of Muslim women. France announced that they were upholding their ban on the hijab which will extend to their athletes competing at the Olympics, also to include coaches and referees. In a time where gender equality is being celebrated at the Olympics, France continues to show that the rights of women and girls does not extend to the rights of Muslim women and girls.
It was only in 2022 at the World Cup in Qatar when many French politicians critiqued Qatar’s choice of banning the rainbow flag as a representation of LGBTQ+ empowerment. Many believed that this was an attack on pride and the choice to be who you are. Yet here we are, 2 years later, as France decides to ban another symbol of empowerment, pride and choice for many. These are athletes who dedicated their lives to their craft and are proud to represent their country. France has shown that even with all of this pride and talent, the choice you make for your body cannot be yours.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) upholds that there is no ban on any head covering at the Olympics, but stated that athletes competing for a national team are seen as civil servants and can be pushed to act within their nation’s context. Many have criticized the IOC for the lack of formal condemnation for France banning a piece of clothing that is otherwise permitted within the Committee guidelines. At a time when the Olympics is celebrating full gender equality in the competition, this illustrates that Muslim women are not considered in this discussion.
Diaba Konate is an award-winning basketball player who competed at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018 with the French national youth team. She had dreams of representing France at the Olympics, but now that dream has been shelved because she wears the hijab and she cannot compete. This entire premise of equality for women is to give them the space and opportunity to decide what they want for themselves. France has snatched this right away from Muslim women and girls. They have gone after the Islamic garments numerous times, including banning them in schools. There’s a particular obsession with controlling what women and girls wear. So much so that they are willing to sacrifice national titles if it means limiting the hijab. Who knows what Konate could go on to win. France and the world will not know because of islamophobia coupled with sexism.
The persistent ban on the hijab and Muslim women's attire reflects a colonial and systematic effort to control women's autonomy. Compelling a dedicated Muslim athlete to choose between her faith and her aspirations is a blatant violation of human rights. Women, regardless of their background or ethnicity, should have the absolute right to decide their own attire. No government should restrict women's freedom to serve a racist agenda.
During the opening ceremony, Paris honored ten remarkable French women who shaped history, from revolutionaries to artists. This tribute, symbolized by permanent statues, raises questions about the sincerity of the French government's commitment to women's rights. Can a government truly honor women's contributions while simultaneously discriminating against a group of women based on their faith? Genuine advocacy for women's rights must be inclusive, recognizing and empowering hijabi Muslim women.
France faces significant challenges, yet it has once again failed to address real human rights concerns. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Israel's male flagbearer is believed to have signed bombs fired against Palestinians in Gaza. Since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza, 69 Olympians have been killed, their dreams extinguished. The 2024 Summer Olympics epitomizes Western hypocrisy in its approach to human rights: committing mass extermination against people of color doesn't disqualify you from the Olympics, but wearing a hijab does.
France is often seen as a progressive Western country that upholds human rights, and yet it consistently targets women and other marginalized groups within its borders. The government asserts that no athlete will ever be prohibited from competing due to religious beliefs, but that the hijab falls under the category of religious symbols, which are prohibited for athletes. Regardless of how their government tries to frame it, banning the hijab is just the other side of the coin that forces it. There is no liberation for women when you take away their choice. The Olympics are a time to marvel at the physical capabilities of people yet France chooses to limit the capabilities of many. No woman is free until we all are free.
#NoBanNoForce
#ParisOlympics2024
Additional Resources:
https://time.com/7000437/france-sporting-hijab-ban-olympics/
