Petition calls for resignation of hijab-shaming French minister

Laurence Rossignol compared veiled women to 'negroes who supported slavery'

France’s Minister for Women’s Rights is facing calls to resign after comparing Muslim women who wear the veil to "negroes who supported slavery”.

Laurence Rossignol sparked outrage across social media last week, for criticising various fashion houses for promoting haute couture appropriations of the headscarf.



Her comment comment came after former fashion mogul Pierre Berge lashed out at designers creating Islamic clothing and headscarves, accusing them of taking part in the “enslavement of women”.

Although Rossignol apologised for her use of “foul language” she did not retract her claim, prompting an immediate outcry from the French public on social media. As a result, a petition calling for her resignation raised over 16,000 signatures, according to Newsweek.

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With the hashtag #LaurenceRossignol started trending on Twitter immediately after her remarks, she was slammed for both racism and sexism, while many called for her to hand in her resignation.

https://twitter.com/mohammedzismail/status/715459416359886848

Discrimination from a Minister mandated to promote and protect women's human rights! Gender equality 101? @laurossignol #LaurenceRossignol

— Veerle Triquet (@vrltrqt) March 31, 2016

'Progress' can be measured by skirt length. #LaurenceRossignol truly has impeccable #logic. https://t.co/GWMluELHkc

— IslamophobiaWatchAU (@islamophobiaAUS) March 31, 2016

Excusez-moi? Un esclave?! If she means that we Muslims are slaves of Allah, than OUI, we are! Proud of it, Alhamdulillah. #LaurenceRossignol

— Boutaïna Azzabi Ezzaouia (@Boutaina) March 31, 2016

https://twitter.com/RaKhairy/status/715621291236179970
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https://twitter.com/_Rerbadiyow/status/715739318665482240
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