France enforced a ban earlier today on full-face veils, a restriction on traditional Muslim religious garb. This is a controversial move! So let’s focus briefly on the veil itself, an item that has been used primarily for religious purposes, true, but also has roots as a practical tool, a means to shield one’s face from dust and sun. But culturally, societally, it’s evolved into a symbol; something that can be regulated not on the base of its practicality, but its meaning.
The Veil As Gear
