Muslim women, the veil and Western society [audio 30min]

Last month, former UK foreign minister Jack Straw reopened debate on Muslim women and the veil. Straw said that, when women visited his office with their faces covered, he asked them to remove the veil because he believes it makes communication easier; a female staff member was always present. Some British Muslims agreed with Straw, others protested, and there have been similar debates in Italy, in France and in the USA as well. Part of the argument is over cultural standards, about what types of veils are acceptable in Islamic and in Western countries. In many Western countries, including the USA, Islam is growing fast. So to what extent should the cultures accommodate each other, and what does this mean for the veil? Webpage includes photos.