Also, people really need to open their eyes if they think sharia, various interpretations of it and a lot of the laws abroad are OK or would be fine if they were widely applied across the UK. I'm raising this because sharia was brought up and people seem to think it would be absolutely fine if we were governed by sharia here in the UK or elsewhere.
Try living and working in Saudi Arabia as a woman and having to cover up in the insane heat. Segregation. Segregation because you're seen as unclean. Try the laws you come up against in Dubai if anything goes wrong over there. Try existing simply as a woman in various areas of the middle east or Africa. And yes, it IS mostly down to religion. Delve into what it's really like - I don't mean the facade or what's presented. Delve into the reality of what women, especially poor rural women, come up against on a daily basis across Africa, the middle east and indeed parts of Europe. Really look into what a woman's worth is considered to be in some societies. Look into the stats on FGM or education. Hint: they're not nice reading. Look at how rape victims are treated in Dubai (potential prosecution for having sex outside of marriage) along with the rest of the horrific legal issues. It's all fine and nice and shiny until it isn't. And that is one tiny part of the middle east anyway. People who say they are OK with sharia and other facets of various religions need to open their eyes as to what's going on worldwide and think if they are TRULY ok with a lot of what goes on, because quite frankly, it's utterly horrifying yet it seems to be perfectly acceptable and in fact even encouraged to turn a blind eye. A lot is done in the name of religion and Christianity has some appalling aspects but GENERALLY (and yes, I know there are exceptions) you can live in a Christian society in our current time without persecution or fear as a woman. Go to many of those countries mentioned - and I don't mean as a privileged tourist for two weeks - and see if you can say the same. This is why people do not want sharia to spread.
I don't want to feel lesser than, I don't want to feel that my skin is indecent, I don't want to be told that I'm a wh%re and I certainly don't want more of that kind of mindset spreading across the world. This is specific to sharia not Islam. There are many ways that Islam can be practised and not to acknowledge that is silly, but equally, to state that being OK with the country reaching a majority of sharia-practitioners is honestly, it's truly chilling to me.
People don't know what freedom is until they've experienced losing it.
We honestly don't know how good we have it here. I'm not saying it's perfect but it's a fcking paradise compared to some places.