Face to Face

• Main Author: Robert Leckey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oñati International Institute for the Sociology of Law 2013-12-01
• Series: Oñati Socio-Legal Series
• Subjects: Muslim women; Head covering; Niqab; Veil; Quebec; Secularism. Ley; teoría Queer; mujeres musulmanas; cubrirse la cabeza; velo; secularismo; Europa.
• Online Access: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2356851

<p>This paper uses Queer theory, specifically literature on Bowers v. Hardwick, to analyze debates over legislation proposed in Quebec regarding covered faces. Queer theory sheds light on legal responses to the veil. Parliamentary debates in Quebec reconstitute the polity, notably as secular and united. The paper highlights the contradictory and unstable character of four binaries: legislative text versus social practice, act versus status, majority versus minority, and knowable versus unknowable. As with contradictory propositions about homosexuality, contradiction does not undermine discourse but makes it stronger and more agile.</p> <hr /><p>Este art&iacute;culo utiliza la teor&iacute;a Queer, m&aacute;s concretamente la literatura sobre Bowers vs. Hardwick, para analizar los debates sobre la legislaci&oacute;n propuesta en Quebec en relaci&oacute;n al velo. La teor&iacute;a Queer arroja luz sobre las respuestas legales al velo. Los debates parlamentarios en Quebec reconstituyen la forma de gobierno, especialmente como secular y unido. El documento pone de relieve el car&aacute;cter contradictorio e inestable de cuatro binarios: texto legislativo frente a las pr&aacute;cticas sociales; legislaci&oacute;n frente a estado; mayor&iacute;a versus minor&iacute;a; y conocible frente a incognoscible. Al igual que con las proposiciones contradictorias acerca de la homosexualidad, la contradicci&oacute;n no socava el discurso, sino que lo hace m&aacute;s fuerte y m&aacute;s &aacute;gil.