Election candidate in headscarf causes uproar in France

Feminists and politicians protest after anti-capitalist Olivier Besancenot fields Muslim woman who covers her hair

Olivier Besancenot, the postman-turned-revolutionary at the helm of France's anti-capitalist movement, has been fiercely criticised from all sides of the political spectrum for fielding a headscarf-wearing candidate in forthcoming elections.

Ilham Moussaid, a 21-year-old Muslim woman who describes herself as "feminist, secular and veiled", is running for the far-left New Anti-Capitalist party (NPA) in the south-eastern region of Avignon.

But, despite her insistence that there is no contradiction between her clothing and her political role, Moussaid's candidacy in the regional vote due in March has angered other feminists and politicians.

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Feminists ... protest after anti-capitalist Olivier Besancenot fields Muslim woman who covers her hair

Am I the only one that sees irony in this?

They are all for female empowerment unless the empowerment is to make decisions they are not wholly supportive of...

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Looking over at the comments underneath the guardian article there's a nice response from flyingdutchman:

A suitable headline would be:

"People wearing blinkers object against woman wearing headscarf"

Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.

Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes

You wrote:

Feminists ... protest after anti-capitalist Olivier Besancenot fields Muslim woman who covers her hair

Am I the only one that sees irony in this?

They are all for female empowerment unless the empowerment is to make decisions they are not wholly supportive of...

Oh, i'd thought it meant they protested in the opposite direction o.0

Oh if not, definitely ironic yes.

#Before you look at the thorns of the rose , look at it's beauty. Before you complain about the heat of the sun , enjoy it's light. Before you complain about the blackness of the night, think of it's peace and quiet... #