Islamic Dress Bans and the Social Experiences of Muslim Women: Media and Grassroots Narratives in France and Denmark

Abstract Book of the 7th Global Conference on Women’s Studies

Year: 2025

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Islamic Dress Bans and the Social Experiences of Muslim Women: Media and Grassroots Narratives in France and Denmark

Frida Selim Williams

ABSTRACT:

This study examines the impact of France’s 2004 hijab ban and 2023 abaya ban, along with Denmark’s 2018 burqa ban, on the social experiences of Muslim women. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on diverse media reports, academic literature, and grassroots narratives to explore how these legislative measures—justified under the banners of secularism and cultural integration—have perpetuated exclusion, stigmatization, and systemic marginalization. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of postcolonial feminism, intersectionality, and Social Identity Theory (SIT), the study critically assesses how these bans reinforce colonial legacies and contribute to the construction of Muslim women as cultural outsiders. Data gathered from international media sources and testimonies—such as those emerging from the #pastoucheamonhijab and Kvinder i Dialog movements—reveal that these policies have significantly constrained Muslim women’s access to education, employment, and public life. Rather than promoting neutrality, the bans exacerbate identity-based discrimination and undermine the socio-economic participation of Muslim communities. Importantly, grassroots movements and solidarity networks have emerged as potent counter-narratives, with affected women mobilizing collective action, mutual support, and digital campaigns to reclaim their agency and challenge hegemonic discourses. Ultimately, this study calls for a re-examination of secularist practices in liberal democracies to foster genuine social cohesion, one that embraces cultural and religious diversity and recognizes the transformative power of grassroots solidarity without sacrificing individual rights and cultural expression.

Keywords: exclusion, neo-colonialism, marginalization, resistance, intersectionality