Should Muslim traditional female headgear be allowed or banned in America?

@Darci Hm... then what is the final answer? Banned or allowed?

@SW-User Banned because we have to wear like that in their country

@Darci We don't have to if we are foreigners aka tourists.

@SW-User Actually, in many Muslim countries western women do have to cover their hair, tourist or not.

@room101 In many Muslim countries? Only in Iran, sir.

For many other Muslim countries, whenever the female travelers visit the Mosque, they must wear the hijab. We don't have to necessarily wear hijab or any Muslim traditional dress when we don't visit the Mosque, as long as we wear proper clothing that fully covers our body.

Why does it have to be Western women? Female travelers can be any race, sir.

@SW-User No need to call me sir, I've not been knighted. Not likely to be either.

I mentioned "western women" as a way of simplifying the distinction between Muslim women and women from other creeds. Of course, I could have listed all such creeds (and atheists) but wouldn't that have been a bit of a waste of time? Especially in the context of the question posed. Which is, fundamentally, about a western country accommodating the religious requirements of a Middle Eastern culture.

I think you will find that it's not just Iran that is disapproving of women who do not cover their hair whilst out in public. The same applies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, etc etc etc. Also, please note that I said "cover their hair". I did not say "wear the hijab" or indeed any of the other garb illustrated in the opening post.

@room101 'Sir' is the term to use as a polite or respectful way of addressing a man. This usually applies between a young person to an older person. In my country, we usually call each other like that. There is no "knighted" here. But it's fine if you don't want to be called like that.

A waste of time? America is full of many races from around the world. That is why the name of the country is 'The United States of America'. The post using America because America is the only country that popular for its cultural diversity. Which means many races and ethnicity.

Where did you find the information about because this seems to be like almost every Middle Eastern country require tourist women to cover their hair. And that is not true. They are only required to cover the body, not the hair in public. The hair cover only applies in Mosque. Except for Iran because their dress code is strict, and women must cover their hair as well as their body whether in public or Mosque.

@SW-User We both know that your passive/aggressive use of the term "sir" had nothing to do with respect. But that's OK. I'm not one of these people that thinks that I deserve respect simply because I exist or because I've attained a certain age.

Actually, it's called the United States of America because it is a country comprised of a number of ipso-facto independent states united together to form a cohesive nation. It has nothing to do with any ethnic diversity etc.

I have found that information, as you put it, because I've spent most of my adult life working in such countries.

@room101 Well, it goes both ways. Respect and sarcasm. That is my purpose of using it to you.

Well, you're right. And also, the term 'The United States of America' was a purpose to replace the term 'United Colonies'. But that was just the past. The world nowadays considers that name as a way to represent a nation with diversity. Immigration has become more and more popular, and The United States of America has been known to have a large racially and ethnically diverse population; which makes it 'The United States of America' that we know today. The country is now about the world, not the states.

Furthermore, most foreigners like me think of it as a way to describe the diversity of the country. The current meaning of that name is too popular.

Good to know that you've spent most of your adult life working in such countries. If I know this sooner, I would have asked you for further information with a specific explanation.

But how many of 'such countries' that you have been to? And how long did you stay in each of them? Was your information based on your personal view or research and facts?

@SW-User Your current President and his supporters do not seem to agree with you on what the USA represents.

I've looked at your profile and, judging by your photos, you are clearly of Oriental decent (I would guess Korean). Consequently, I can see how my narrow use of the phrase "western women" could have made you feel excluded and caused you some offence. That was not my intent and I wholeheartedly apologise for that silly oversight on my part.

I'm a photojournalist. I concentrated on the Middle East. So, yeah, spending a lot of time, asking questions, trying to understand how local people felt and perceived everything about their lives and, what went on their countries was a fact of life for me.

In approx three to four weeks, I will be embarking on a year long project where I will be touring most of Europe, North Africa and the Near Middle East. The purpose of this project is to report on social issues as I find them and how history has impacted on these social issues.

@room101 He is never my president. Never. In fact, no one is my president. In order to approve someone to become my "something", they have to be very important to me.

Many people thought I'm Korean or Japanese or Chinese or Thai. But I'm Vietnamese. Asian ethnicity misunderstanding is a very common thing for us Asians.

Yes, I was pretty offended by that. But I don't pay attention to that anymore. It's alright.

That's really impressive! You know, I like to read stories by looking at pictures instead of words. Pictures give me a clearer view of things that happen around me. And sometimes give me a realization of the world that I live in. To visit so many countries like that need a pretty much amount of money. You are a photojournalist, but is it a hobby or a full-time job?

@SW-User It was my full-time job until 2008. I had to give it up for a while (due to family stuff) and was a commercial photographer instead. That drove me nuts and I actually gave up photography completely for a short while. In the last eighteen months or so, I’ve been balancing commercial photography with photojournalism.

Yes, money is a big issue because the vast majority of my reportage projects have been self-financed. Over the years, it’s worked out fine and I’ve generally come out on top. This particular project is a very much a leap of faith. I will either generate interest and earn an income or, I will blow a lot of money on an adventure.🤷‍♂️

There's a story (it's a bit long) on my profile which basically explains how I'm financing the trip.