Burqas and hot pants?
Two young women are protesting France's burqa ban with a video that has them frolicking around Paris in short-shorts and veils. What's the point?

The video: In a controversial clip, two young French women, one of them Muslim, stroll around Paris in heels, hot pants, and niqabs — the Islamic veils which conceal a woman's entire face save for her eyes and will soon be subject to fines under France's recently approved burqas-in-public ban. With their sexy bare legs and covered up tops, the two (who've dubbed themselves the "NiqaBitches") draw curious stares, admiring glances, and cell-phone paparazzi.
The reaction: In an opinion piece on the French website, rue89, the anonymous duo behind the video say "we were not looking to attack or degrade the image of Muslim fundamentalists — each to their own — but rather to question politicians who voted for this law that we consider clearly unconstitutional." This is "a brilliant piece of guerrilla theatre," says Wendy McElroy at WendyMcElroy.com. "It is heartening to see people defend the right of another culture to express peaceful attitudes that they do not personally share." Nonsense, says Jonathon Narvey in The Propagandist. This misguided attempt at female solidarity ignores the "legitimate concern" behind the burqa ban, namely that "burqas and niqabs represent an insidious threat to civil society." Watch it for yourself:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 hilariously sparse cartoons about further DOGE cuts
Cartoons Artists take on free audits, report cards, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: March 30, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published