Niqab security in Canada

Submitted by Laura Sanderson (Israel), Aug 4, 2010 at 09:55

This is how women board airplanes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, [hereinafter referred to as the Magic Kingdom]. After your carry-on goes through the x-ray you are herded into a booth, niqab removed in the presence of a burly-lookingTough Woman. [As a Western I did not wear a niqab, never a head scarf, and wore only a cute little straw hat].

You can imagine the glares I got from Tough Woman. But she had her revenge! I got pokes and jabs between the legs and especally hard jabs between the breasts with her Magic Wand. One does not exit the Magic Kingdom easily! The women passengers boarded the little jitney bus and were taken to the plane, all of us wearing black abayas. And like magic that's the last I ever saw of them.

Upon landing in Heathrow the black abayas had been stashed, the designer lables and Paris creations were blossoming with nary a niqab, veil or head scarf in sight. This is where one learns that the costuming is a joke and is used for intimidation. For the return flight the abayas are removed from stash moments before the plane lands back in the Magic Kingdom...back to the niqab and scarves...and me with my short blond hair and saucy little straw getting envious looks from women and hard stares from men but never a challenge or reprimand from a matawah [religous police].

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