The veil as a symbol of oppression has once again moved to center stage in Iran, but it’s important to know about the history of veiling – and mandatory unveiling.

Marilyn Yalom the author of "The Amorous Heart: An Unconventional History of Love". In it, she traces the astonishing, centuries-long journey of how the symbol took on all the meanings it has today.

Not only is it a culturally demeaning practice for women, but it also puts anyone interacting with a woman wearing the veil at a serious disadvantage. Language encompasses body motions and facial ...

Tessa Jowell today joined the Muslim veil debate by claiming that women who covered their faces were failing to take a "full place in society". The Culture Secretary said veils were a symbol of ...

Suddenly, Britain seems to be developing into a cultural and religious battleground. Hard on the heels of Jack Straw's criticism of the Muslim full-face veil, local government minister Phil Woolas ...