ETHNIC TOURISM

Went for a run in Brockwell park yesterday and saw a Moslem woman wearing the Nijab (?) taking her child for a walk. She was covered from head to toe in black and wore her veil with merely a piece of gauze over the eyes -impossible to make any eye contact, which is of course the idea. Reminded me of the recent controversy recently of the moslem women who were working respectively as teacher and lawyer but were unable to do so because of their insistence on wearing these face coverings.
What would happen if a Moslem woman wanted to become a tourist guide? We have very few guides from the ethnic minorities, most guides being white middle class, middle aged and middle minded (and predominantly female as yesterday's visit to Wimbledon in memory of Jenny Townshend confirmed). That, to be fair, is the make-up of our clientele and, even if she got ont he course and qualified, it is unlikely she would get much work - unless she had contacts and markets within the Moslem community.
For what it is worth, I am all in favour of multiculturalism and toleration as well as emancipation - I just think that the two are often incompatible. If a Moslem woman wants to remain true to the sheltered tradition of her community by wearing the veil that is fine - it affords her protection within these traditions and a degree of respct. If she wants to be emancipated and work as a lawyer, doctor, teacher or tourist guide, that is also fine. However, these jobs require eye contact as part of the communication required from professionals in these fields and this is not possible with a veil. So, it is surely one or the other - Moslem women have to open up and embrace western life (if not all its values) or remain covered and true to eastern ones. They cannot do both.