"The vast majority of veiled women, in Quebec and Canada, firmly believe in the equality of the sexes and are conscious of reconciling their hijab with their feminist values," Eid wrote.
In a 100-page report submitted to the court, Eid noted that all Quebec and Canadian studies show a majority of Muslim women say they choose, and are not forced, to wear the hijab. Those claims came under scrutiny during testimony Tuesday by sociologist Paul Eid, an expert in racial and religious discrimination in Quebec. "Obviously, a young girl forced to wear a religious symbol would be less likely to confide in a teacher who wears a religious symbol," Rousseau told reporters. Guillaume Rousseau, a lawyer who represents another pro-Bill 21 group that has intervenor status, said banning religious symbols at school helps make them safe spaces for girls trying to escape family pressure to don religious symbols.
#SYMBOL FOR FEMALE STRENGTH TRIAL#
Plaintiffs challenging Quebec's ban on religious symbols sought to dismantle, on Tuesday, one of the main arguments made by supporters of the law - that the hijab is a symbol of female oppression and undermines gender equality.