Irsa Ghazal, Ontario, Canada
As a Muslim woman who proudly wears the hijab, I watch with deep concern as Quebec continues to expand Law 21 – a law that began by banning religious symbols for teachers and other public servants and has now grown to include banning face coverings for all school staff and even students.
Although it claims to promote “secularism”, its impact is anything but neutral. It places Muslim women directly in the line of fire, using our identities as political tools masked as policy.
Let us be honest: this latest expansion is a thinly veiled attack on the niqab – a style of covering observed by some Muslim women – and marks a dangerous shift from regulating public servants to policing the bodies and beliefs of students.
When a government tells a woman what she cannot wear because of her faith, that is not secularism. It is coercion. And it runs directly against the Charter values Canadians hold dear: freedom of religion, equality, dignity, and personal autonomy.
Too often, the hijab is misunderstood or framed as a symbol of oppression. But for countless Muslim women, including myself, it is an expression of faith, modesty and identity. It is chosen, not imposed. It empowers us to define our relationship with God and to move through society with confidence.
The irony is painful – while many parts of the world celebrate women’s right to dress as they choose, Quebec seeks to take that choice away.
Law 21 tells women like me that our qualifications and dedication matter less than our appearance. It shuts doors, blocks careers and signals that we do not belong unless we conceal our faith. It teaches young Muslim girls that their religious identity is something to hide if they want to participate fully in public life.
This is not equality. It is exclusion.
Supporters claim visible religious symbols undermine state neutrality, but neutrality means not favoring or discriminating against any religion – not erasing individual identities. A truly neutral state allows all citizens to participate without abandoning their beliefs.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of religion because diversity strengthens our society. It does not exist only when convenient; it protects minorities when public sentiment turns against them. (Ibid.)
When a government invokes the notwithstanding clause to override fundamental freedoms, it signals that certain groups – especially Muslim women – are not worthy of those protections.
Canada prides itself on multiculturalism and equal opportunity. Yet, Muslim women are being told that our visible faith disqualifies us from public service. This is not the Canada I believe in, and it should not be the Canada we accept.
As Canadians, we must ask ourselves: what kind of country do we want to be? One that celebrates diversity, or one that dictates what faith can look like in public? One that empowers young girls to be themselves, or one that punishes them for it?
The hijab threatens no one. But laws that target and exclude women certainly do.
I urge Canadians to see Law 21 for what it is: not a policy of secular neutrality, but a measure that harms real people – teachers, students, mothers, daughters and neighbours.
Muslim women deserve the same rights and opportunities as anyone else. We deserve to work without discrimination, learn without restriction, and exist in public spaces without being told our faith makes us unfit.
Canada must do better. Quebec must reconsider a law that has already caused so much division and fear. The strength of this country lies in its commitment to freedom and fairness. Stripping women of their religious expression violates both.
I speak out because I love this country – and because no woman should ever have to choose between her faith and her future.
