Then don't ask posters to make it less interesting

I'll just respond to a couple of points...

I'm With Stupid wrote:But the question isn't as you state it whether this particular interpretation of Islam should be welcomed, it's whether it should be allowed. I agree with most of what you say about the burkha. It's a ridiculous outfit steeped in misogyny and patriarchy. But it's not my place to tell people they can't wear it.

Not yours alone, but it absolutely is society's place to state and enforce which cultural practices are acceptable. I might question a referendum (especially where a tiny majority can carry the day) as a mechanism for such statement, but if a state can make it illegal to discriminate against women, I don't see why it shouldn't include the burka as an obvious case of such discrimination.

..but there are plenty of women who don't wear a burkha who have controlling partners who dictate their every move and interaction with the opposite sex.

Indeed. That's wrong too. And illegal, actually. All the more reason for making other examples of coercive behaviour illegal in a western liberal democracy.

I'll be honest, I don't think I've ever seen a burkha in reality.

I've seen one once. A bloke out, with presumably his wife, walking along the street in London. It was a hot day, he was dressed in T-shirt, shorts and flipflops. She was walking about two paces behind him, top to toe black cloak, mesh to look out through.

It's difficult to articulate the visceral horror I experienced at the sight. No matter how it's dressed up (sorry), I don't see such oppression as having any place in a country that values women equally as men.

So now Muslim women who are forbidden by their husbands and/or other members of the Muslim community to appear in public without face coverings, including the burka or niqab are also forbidden to appear in public with face coverings, including the burka or niqab. How very nice for them.

Yeah, I haven't seen the case made for how this actually helps anyone or reduces the mistreatment of women. All it seems to do is make any women who might want to wear them feel more oppressed and isolated.