Xenophobia or a victory for women's rights? France's lower house of Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to ban Muslim women from wearing a full veil in public. Only one parliamentarian voted against the bill, though France’s Socialist Party boycotted the vote altogether. It targets, in particular, veils that obscure a woman’s entire face, like the burka and the niqab. The bill would slap a $200 fine on women who wear veils, and men would face a one-year jail term if they force their wives to wear burkas. The Senate will have to ratify the bill in September in order for it to become law.
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