A ban on the veil at work is not appropriate.

Hi, KingDebator. I look forward to having a fun and friendly debate with you. You chose an interesting topic, and I thank you for that. Though we only have two rounds, I hope we can make the most of debate. I'm going to clarify the topic, present my own argument, and then turn my attention to yours. The topic We need to limit this debate to workplaces in the U. K. (or the U. S. , where I live, but the laws are similar) because a world-wide or even country-wide ban would be unenforceable, and I would lose by default. Banning the veil at workplaces in the U. K. is not appropriate. To win, I have to demonstrate that it is acceptable to ban people from wearing veils in some--even one--instance. (Just like saying, "abortion is not appropriate" would point to all cases of abortion, be it rape or incest. If you say, "It's okay in some cases," you are pro-choice, like it or not. ) My argument Point 1: Freedom Some organizations ban people from wearing jeans, and others ban veils. This is for many reasons, whether it be company morale, efficiency, (e. g. wearing a veil makes people not see as well and therefore work less efficiently), just for fun. Companies have a right to do whatever they please with the dress code, just as they’re free to hire anyone they choose. Point 2: Necessity Suppose a model insists on wearing a veil for a fashion show because she "feels ugly" that day. Can the employer reasonably ask her to remove the veil so as to not ruin the show? Of course! They hired her to display their clothing how they want, and if that means banning veils, so be it. They can ban any item of clothing including veils, and the model should have known this when she signed a contract with them. Can a movie actress change her character's wardrobe and wear a veil if she wants? Nope! The director can ban veils on the set (i. e. in the workplace) for the movie, and the actress can do nothing about it. Or is there? This brings us to Point 3. Point 3: Employees can change workplaces The ability to ban veils does not make employers all-powerful: employees can work wherever they choose. If the option to wear a veil at work is a requirement, a woman can negotiate during the hiring process or find a company that allows veils. Most companies will probably not ban veils, but if they choose to ban them, it’s their loss, as they won’t hire women who are talented workers but wish to wear a veil at work. If the woman in question doesn't want to work without a veil, she can apply to another company and/or switch careers. Some lines of work do not allow employees to wear what they want, and that’s that. Rebuttal Your basic argument boils down to this: someone is ugly, people make fun of her, and the veil is a great solution. Therefore, it cannot be banned. There are some flaws to this argument. Part 1: Veils are not the only solution. Sure, veils might be a great way for a plain woman to hide her mug, but they're not the only option. If veils are banned, she could try any of the following: -Apply her makeup differently (which can make a huge difference; ask any girl) -Resolve the problem by asking the people to stop making fun of her -Take the problem to HR -Work out to lose weight -Get plastic surgery (a big step, but if it's such a huge problem for her, this may be a reasonable solution) -Find a new workplace where people won't laugh at her (See Part 3 above) Part 2: Other items of clothing are banned from the workplace. This point is basically Point 1 from above. Many desk jobs will not allow employees to work in a T-shirt or a bikini. These items are banned sometimes because they are distracting or because they lower productivity. Whatever the reason may be, a company should not be denied the right to set its own dress code. If we forced companies to allow veils in all cases, we would be making our way down a slippery slope: companies would no longer be allowed to run themselves as they please.