Reading the Other’s Body

“Madrid, 1566: A Spanish royal law prohibits Christianized Moors from making traditional garments so that they start dressing like Christians. When Moorish women wear a veil, they must uncover their faces. Quebec, 2013: A Charter of Values is proposed that prohibits the

delivery of or access to public services without an uncovered face, thereby effectively banning Muslim women from wearing the niqab in these public settings. […] Why are we so invested in reading, assessing, and, yes, policing other people’s bodies?”

Cristian Berco, Professor and Chair of the Department of History and Global Studies, Bishop’s University

“Reading the Other’s Body”, The Body in Question(s), 2014