[jaxie]

I'd like to mention the opposing views that Muslim women are demonised for wearing the burqa and that they are disrespectful to wear it.

I think that you are both completely wrong. Women don't choose to wear religious garb through some form of ancient modesty and they certainly don't do it to piss anyone off or be offensive. Women are taught to believe they must wear these garments to be modest by men. It is religious uniform, religious conditioning and a form of control exercised by men raised with very mysogionistic beliefs. They are further isolated by the restrictive nature of the cover which must make it very difficult to make friends outside their own community.

Education is desperately needed on this not appeasement or ridicule.

The post above is right when it says we don't own Islam but we do own the right of equality for all women where we live and those women who are raised in mysogionistic beliefs should have those rights and an education to match them also.