Letter:Fundamental problem of Islamic symbols

Sir: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown makes the veiled assumption that we "European" women are hypocritical in our condemnation of the hejab and our approval of the trussed-up bride. Are women on either side of this cover-up so naive as to be unaware of the sexual connotation in wearing garb that marks out their sex so distinctly? And if eroticism is not the issue here, what is: shame of the unclean, display of our class credentials, or a show of obedience in a belief that marks us out in need of discipline from a man?

Whether our oppression stems from imam, priest, fashion guru or our need to replicate the Virgin or Madonna, the difference in fundamentalism is cosmetic and some of us reject it altogether.

Yours faithfully, K. STRANG Stirling