On Question Time on Thursday, the question was asked “Can Muslim women who wear the veil make a full participation to society?” When it comes down it, I do not think that it is possible to be able to participate completely in society whilst wearing a veil. This obviously does not mean that women who do cannot participate, as many can and do, but it makes all participation far, far harder.

My main reason for this is simply the physical barrier between that person and the rest of British society, certainly where men can be present. Since so much communication is done via non-verbal means, covering the face automatically substantially reduces the amount of body language which can be conveyed and thus reduces social interaction, even if that reduction is due to the uneasiness which most people are likely to feel towards someone whose face is covered.

I do not object to anyone wearing the veil, if they do so by their own free choice. But there is no ignoring the fact that it provides a physical separation between that woman and the rest of society. Even though it is only necessary to wear the veil in the presence of men, half of society is male. To be able to fully participate in society, it is essential to be able to interact completely with all of society. The veil makes that impossible, or at the very least, far, far harder – for both sides.