Spencer, 25

What do you do for a living?
I’m a copywriter.

Does this job get you laid?
No. I don’t want to date anyone I work with. Especially because I’m a freelance writer. I don’t want things getting out about me.

Do you have something to hide?
Maybe…

What’s the craziest sex position you’ve tried?
I don’t know about crazy positions. I’ve had more crazy situations than anything.

Such as?
Well, there was this wedding in Atlanta where I mysteriously disappeared for a few hours and came back with bite marks on my nipples, deep scratches down my back and sides, and was covered in bruises. To this day, no one knows what happened.

Were you mauled by a wild animal?
You could say that.

Do you have an age limit when it comes to dating?
Thirty-five, but even that’s still up there. I will not date younger girls. I have a narrow window. Honestly, personality is more important than age. That’s why I can’t date young girls, especially ones in college.

What’s the problem?
I may sound like an asshole, but they’re still working through issues I’ve already figured out. Like, I just got out of a relationship with a twenty-one-year old. Whenever she had a big test, she’d get super-quiet and bitchy; she didn’t know how to manage her stress and emotions. She had a lot of growing up to do. Plus, I think she was a virgin.

You “think” she was a virgin?
We only dated a month.

Is that really a relationship?
In New York City it is. People don’t want to take anything slow here. You can go through a lot with someone — mentally, emotionally, physically — in a month here. More so here than anywhere I think.

What’s the worst move a girl’s put on you?
This actually happened recently: there was this gal at a birthday party I was at who was aggressively trying to talk to me. I like aggressive women, but I wasn’t attracted to her. She finally smashed a piece of cake in my face so that I had to walk into the bathroom to clean up. She followed me in there and asked me out.

What did you say?
We went out a few times.

So that’s how women should get a guy’s attention?
I figured she put two hours of her evening into trying to ask me out, I might as well give her a shot. I later found out that she’s a blogger — she blogs about her failed relationships. I checked and wasn’t up there. I was kind of upset.

Blair, 21

What do you do for a living?
I’m a senior in college for art history.

What’s the craziest sex position you’ve ever done?
My boyfriend at the time and I were in a park and I was leaned up against a fence. It was in the middle of the day and there were definitely people around.

Weren’t you afraid of getting caught?
Yeah. That’s what made it crazy.

Do you have an age limit when it comes to dating?
Thirty-five. I can’t relate to certain things if someone is older than that.

What’s one sexual thing you want to do before you die?
I want to be tied up or handcuffed and totally taken advantage of. I’m a women’s-studies minor, so it makes this totally taboo, but that’s what makes it more desired and erotic. I’m not in any way saying that all women secretly want to be raped. There needs to be consent. You need to talk to your partner about it beforehand. But it’s true that a lot of women I know have this fantasy.

Is sex better when you’re in love?
Yes. When you’re with the same person, you know what they’re good at and what they like. It goes the same for you and your wants. You’re not afraid to experiment with this person. Or tell them if you don’t like something. Also, it removes the awkwardness of one-night-stands.

What’s your most attractive quality?
I’m a nympho. I’m very comfortable with my sexuality and need to have sex three times a day.

Three times exactly?
More is always welcomed. I’m also very sweet to the person I’m with. I make sure their needs are met. It’s actually hard to find a guy able to keep up with my needs.

Have you ever had sex with someone you shouldn’t have?
Beyond yes. I had sex with a heroin addict once. And was with a guy my best friend was in love with. That was pretty shitty of me. But I don’t feel guilty really. I don’t regret anything I’ve done because now I’m dating the love of my life. If I hadn’t made those mistakes then I wouldn’t realize how lucky I am to have the man I’m with now. It made me realize that I want to spend my life with him.

Patrick, 24

What do you do for a living?
I’m an actor. Technically, an office assistant for an actors network.

Does the job get you laid?
It can — I meet a lot of people. But there’s always a risk. You don’t want people to talk and you also don’t want to screw someone who could potentially screw your career.

What’s the craziest sex position you’ve done?
It’s not a position. But my girlfriend and I were on my parents’ washing machine. They were home, so it was risky.

Was the washing machine on?
Nah.

Too bad.
Why’s that?

Trade secret. Do you have an age limit when it comes to dating?
It’s very liquid. I recently hit it off with a woman at least ten years my elder. It was just a random conversation at a bar, but I totally would have dated her — we had a lot in common. But definitely not someone younger, like nineteen. She needs to be able to drink.

Why is drinking important?
So that I can take advantage of her, of course. By the way, would you like another beer?

No, thanks.
I’m just kidding. It really has nothing to do about drinking or not drinking. There’s an experience gap when someone is younger. That’s why I say it’s “liquid.” Depends on the person and her maturity level.

What’s your deepest, darkest fantasy?
Sex in a church. I grew up a Bible thumper in a rural town in Texas. That’s what makes it so appealing; even though I don’t believe in all that stuff anymore, it’s still in the back of my mind as sinful. Ergo, hot.

What’s the worst move someone has put on you?
It’s always dudes. Not that I’m freaked out by dudes or anything. I’m just opposed to being hit on poorly.

Do you have an example?
I was at this whiskey bar. Whenever my glass got low, our waiter brought over a different whiskey for me to try “on the house.” When he set down their most expensive whiskey, the fifth glass, he leaned in and asked: “Where does this bourbon tour end up?”

Is sex better when you’re in love?
Yes. There’s this Faulkner quote I love: “There is no such thing as bad whiskey. Some whiskeys just happen to be better than others.” It’s like that. Any sex is good. But when you’ve been together longer, it’s just better.

Lara, 21

What do you do for a living?
Handle props for film sites.

Does this get you laid?
Sort of. The prop master is my boyfriend.

What’s one sexual act you want to do before you die?
That I haven’t already done? Hmm, I guess having sex outdoors when people are around but can’t see us. Like secret sex.

What’s your deepest, darkest fantasy?
Having sex with all the boys on set except my boyfriend. Like one after the other. I might take a few breaks in between.

Is sex better when you’re in love?
Yes. Every time is different when you’re in love. It’s never boring. It just keeps getting better and better. Fucking different people can be exciting. But it’s the same kind of excitement, you know? Like the same feeling. But when you’re in love, you feel so many different things all at once.

What’s the worst move someone has put on you?
“Yo, I love your body. It’s so fucking cute I’d date you.” Stupid bro.

What your most attractive quality?
I’m really loyal. I think boys can feel this about me. It’s a good feeling knowing the woman you’re with isn’t going to cheat on you.

Have you ever slept with anyone you shouldn’t have?
Many, many times. There was this one night that I was wasted, and then smoked a huge blunt. I ended up at a party hooking up with this random stranger who I later learned did PCP. Oh! And then there was this other night I hooked up with this random guy off the street. Oh, and there was this guy I had to fuck because he had a British accent. It was raw sex because we were on Vicodin.

Any others?
I’ve been doing dumb stuff like this since I was in high school. Are you from New York City? People grow up fast here.

Joie, 30

What do you do for a living?
Actor.

Does this job get you laid?
Yes. Lots of showmances.

“Showmance?”
When you’re working forty-plus hours a week with someone, especially if you’re playing love interests, you’re bound to fuck. Anytime you watch a movie and think, “Wow, they have really great chemistry on film,” they most probably were fucking off camera.

What’s the craziest sexual position you’ve done?
In the shower up against the wall. It was an awesome angle and everything was so wet and hot.

Do you have an age limit when it comes to dating?
Twenty-one is too young. They just go out and get hammered all the time. They’re just learning self-control and I already have it. So I guess between twenty-three and thirty-four. I’m not opposed to dating older women, but we’d have to have good chemistry. Or an awesome showmance.

What’s one sexual thing you want to do before you die?
It’s boring, but a threesome. Having two women at the same time is the ultimate fantasy for most men I think.

Is sex better when you’re in love?
Absolutely. You’re more emotional and have a better connection. You know that person — know what they like and dislike.

What’s the worst move someone has put on you?
People don’t usually put moves on me, period. But there was a best move. It was a showmance. And the cast got together for a closing-night party. This girl and I had a great connection but I thought she had a boyfriend so I didn’t pursue it. My wingman went to casually talk to her. All of a sudden, he turned to me, gave me two thumbs up and mouthed: “No boyfriend.” A few minutes later, she made the announcement that she was going to leave and walked out the door and into the stairwell. I followed her and she was leaning on the rail. She said, “I was hoping someone was going to follow me.” It was like in the movies: we made out on the railing, in the cab ride home… a totally smooth transition.

Gotta love those showmances.
I’m telling you.

Hanah, 21

What do you do for a living?
I’m a bartender and psychology student.

Do these jobs get you laid?
Not often. I work too much. There’s been one or two people I’ve gone home with from the bar. I just got back from Europe actually. I was there for six months. A week before I left, I met this awesome guy and we went on a date and kissed. I just got back a few days ago and we’re going out this weekend.

Any goals for the date?
Not really. Hopefully more than kissing though. I didn’t get any action in Europe.

What’s the craziest sex position you’ve done?
The candlestick, where the girl puts one leg up in the air by the guy’s shoulders and the other between his legs. He’s kneeling and just goes to town.

I picture more of a scissor action. Why is it called a candlestick?
Hmm. I don’t know. Maybe because he was dripping wax on me when we did it?

Do you have an age limit when it comes to dating?
My average age is upper twenties. If they’re younger than me it will never work out. You need to be able to legally offer me a drink, and financially able to buy me dinner. Younger guys just can’t do that.

What’s one sexual thing you want to do before you die?
I know it’s impossible, but having sex while skydiving.

That’s quite a feat.
It’s hot for two reasons: one, it’s impossible, and two, you’re almost dying and orgasming at the same time.

Le petite mort.
The mini death. Exactly. So hot.

What’s your deepest, darkest fantasy?
Being totally submissive to someone. Like tied up and stuff. I mean, things can’t go too far. There needs to be trust there. I need to be able to call “Mustard!”

“Mustard?”
Yea. An unsexy safeword. I also like “penguin.”

Both good picks. Would this scene be better if you were in love?
I’ve never been in love, so I’d say “no.” Actually, the best sex I’ve had was with someone I didn’t care about in any way. I went to Amsterdam a few years ago and had sex with this Greek god. There was no talking. No cuddling. We just met up, pushed each other against walls, and fucked like animals. If love is better than that…

Originally published on Nerve.com, Friday, Aug. 5, 2010

“Potato on stilts.”

This was a nickname that started in elementary school and followed me through the first few years of high school. I had long skinny legs, and a bulky upper frame. During this time, I kept a plastic ring binder filled with ripped out magazine pages of models.

After school I would stare at them, hoping that their beauty – their thinness – would rub off on me, that I’d wake up the next morning resembling them. Instead, each glossy leaf stared back at me in disgust.

There was one especially bad day at school: my gym teacher was conducting evaluations on how well the class ran track. I was the only person who couldn’t even make it around one lap without stopping.

With a gluttonous sorrow, I came home that afternoon and ate a whole bag of pretzels and half a jar of blue cheese, a quarter gallon of ice cream, and nibbles of any other treats in the cupboards.

And so it went: I ate because I was depressed, I was depressed because I ate.

I lost my pudge the summer after my first year at college. With the encouragement of an affluent, 30-year-old man I was dating (against my parents’ continual disapproval of course), I starved myself down from 160 to 115 pounds in three months. When I finally came to my senses and broke up with him, my weight wobbled back up.

Because of these experiences, however, I still do not think of food in an entirely healthy way today.

Most of my female friends have had similar experiences growing up; half have or had some sort of eating disorder too: anorexia, bulimia, diet pills, laxatives…

Around 41 percent of American women are larger than a size 14. And yet about 65 percent of women have had an eating disorder at least once in their life.

So what’s the cause?

My parents were very healthy influences in my life when it came to body image; my mother, especially, always told me I was beautiful no matter what other classmates thought. But the glossy models told me differently.

It’s no big shock that our cultural obsession with thinness has cleaved a nonsensical gap between body mass and attractiveness. Given that the qualities the opposite sex generally registers as attractive are, according to the evolutionary scientists, supposed to be some measure of health and fertility, this seems to demonstrate that we have rather lost our way as a culture.

In the past 10 years especially, there has been a large push to promote positive body images however. UK equalities minister Lynne Featherstone, for example, has been urging government for health warnings on airbrushed photographs that underline the fact that they have been digitally altered.

“I am very keen that children and young women should be informed about airbrushing, so they don’t fall victim to looking at an image and thinking that anyone can have a 12 inch waist,” she was quoted in a Sunday Times article last week.

In an attempt to promote body confidence, Featherstone has been working with advertising executives and magazine editors around the world to discuss how to stop promoting unrealistic body images.

She has even lauded Mad Men actress Joan Holloway – played by Christina Hendricks – as the new “real role model” for girls to aspire to.

Thinking back to my adolescent days and the continual subjugation to false images of extremely thin models and celebrities, I have to agree. Hendricks’ famous curves have been the focus in the ideological war between real women and the fashion industries construct of one. I wonder how I would have thought of myself as a teenager if there were more photos of her in magazines.

All women have felt that pressure at least once in their life to conform to an unrealistic stereotype. It’s not only an immediate harm, but also one that lasts a lifetime. Incorporating more diverse images of women in the entertainment industry is the first step to flipping the scales.

Originally published Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010 in the Dunkirk Observer

I am an incredibly light sleeper; I don’t know what I’d do if I married a man who sounded like a thunderstorm in his sleep. My dad’s snores used to rumble throughout the entire house. I’d lie awake for hours and think, “poor mom.”

But I guess you deal with little ripples like this once you get married. Right?

Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood, you were not allowed to show three things: naked women, toilets (not sure why), and couples (married or otherwise) sleeping in the same bed. Even though the masses couldn’t see a husband and wife lying next to each other, the marital bed – on a par with the diamond ring, the tiered wedding cake, and white dress -  was understood as a symbol of American matrimony, family stability.

In recent years, however, the tables seemed to have turned.

Even though anything and everything can be shown on television today (especially things that happen in bed), one in four American couples sleep in separate beds or bedrooms according to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2005 survey.

(The National Association of Home Builders says it expects 60 percent of custom homes to have dual master bedrooms by 2015. Recent studies in England and Japan have found similar results).

It’s not because they’re feuding, per se. Research shows that separate sleepers cite a multitude of reasons for their new sleeping arrangements including, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, and evening/morning routines such as late night television watching or going to the gym.

So why the change in … acceptance?

A recent New York Times article commented on this phenomenon. Dr. Meir Kryger, a specialist at Gaylord Hospital in Connecticut, says that unlike the past people are making their own sleep a priority.

“If their rest is being impaired by their partner, the attitude now is that I don’t have to put up with this,” he said.

Even though many can probably relate to recent statistics, and are pleased that contemporary life has begun to overrun the institutions once used to contain it, it is still worrisome: in an age when partners hardly eat together, exercise together or spend quality down time together, sleeping together may be the last bastion of togetherness in American relationships.

What will happen if pillow talk dies; will the entire relationship eventually follow?

Many therapists argue, “yes.” And is why they believe couples need to compromise and continue to sleep in the same bed.

Paul C. Rosenblatt, a psychiatry professor at the University of Minnesota, interviewed 42 couples for his book “Two in a Bed: The Social System of Couple Bed Sharing.” He found a plethora of benefits to “co-sleeping.” He believes that sleeping next to your partner is necessary if the relationship is going to grow into a healthy one.

Two findings stuck out for me:

1) Co-sleeping is better for your health. Rosenblatt’s subjects mentioned seizures, diabetic shock and other medical emergencies that would have gone undetected if not for a proximate partner. Also, couples reported positive mental feedback about the sense of security they found falling asleep and waking up next to the person they love.

2) Co-sleeping is better for your sex life. Tying into the first conclusion, many statistics show that couples are mentally and physically healthier if they make love at least twice a week. “I talked to plenty of men (and women) who think that sexual intercourse is far more frequent if they have access to their partner,” Dr. Rosenblatt said. “If you want it, share a bed.”

I find it surprising that I feel this way (dad’s snoring still ringing in my ears), but learning to deal with your partner’s nocturnal or morning rituals might be best. That said, people should find out if they’re going to be deal breakers before they say “I do.”

Originally published Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010 in the Dunkirk Observer

Maxime, 25

What do you do for a living?
I’m a high-school teacher in France.

Are you French?
Yes. I’m on holiday. I’m traveling around the East Coast.

Bienvenue aux États-Unis.
Merci.

So, does being a high-school teacher get you dates?
No and yes. No, because all my coworkers are engaged. Yes, because when I go to bars, girls like that I work with kids. They think I will make a good father or something.

When it comes to dating, do you have any moves?
Oui. Je parle Français. Et les femmes adorent les hommes Français.

Wow. You French guys are good.
Merci. But honestly, I also smile a lot. Make a lot of eye contact. I think this is important. The woman understands that I like her. And also that I am confident. I’m not afraid to look at a beautiful woman and tell her she is beautiful.

What’s your favorite hookup story?
Hmm, it’s hard to choose one. I guess it is cliché, but a ménage à trois.

It’s cliché but still interesting. What happened?
Nothing too exciting. We were all friends and at this party. We were drinking and ended up in the bathroom together. Girls always need to go to the bathroom together it seems. I never understood why. Maybe it’s because they want to have sex together with a man. Anyway, I followed them because they had been smiling at me all night. And then we had sex. Nothing crazy.

Having sex with two girls in a bathroom during a party seems pretty crazy to me.
That’s because you are an American.

Duly noted. Do you have any sex goals?
To have sex with many girls at once.

More than two?
Three would be perfect.

Why perfect?
Because there are three parts of me that I like touched. Would you like to know where?

Aishling, 20

What do you do for a living?
I’m going to college for nursing in Dublin. But right now I’m waitressing in New York City. I grew up in Ireland, but I was born in the Bronx.

Do either of your jobs get your dates?
Yes. College definitely because I go out in the city a lot. I meet a ton of people because I’m really open and friendly. And waitressing is a definite too. I get a lot of numbers. But I never really call them back. I’m not interested in any of the guys at the pub where I work.

Why’s that?
Eh, they’re too old and we don’t have anything in common.

Do you have any dealbreakers when it comes to dating?
I hate when a guy talks too much. Most men need to listen more and not take over the conversation. They need to get to know the girl. But also, they can’t be too quiet.

Do you have a move?
Just acting extra-flirty and interested in what they have to say. I make a lot of eye contact too. Laugh at their jokes. But I make them make the effort. I mean, I would never ask a guy out. Maybe it’s a confidence thing. But I think the guy should be the one making the move to ask the girl out, or for her number, or for a kiss, or for whatever.

I’m surprised. You seem like a very confident woman.
Looks are deceiving.

Where’s the craziest place you’ve had sex?
I was on holiday with my ex and we had sex on the balcony of our hotel. People definitely could have seen us.

What’s the weirdest thing someone’s asked you to do in the bedroom?
Take a video. I would only do that with a boyfriend though. Never with a stranger.

So you’ve made home videos?
Just one. But I wasn’t too into it. It wasn’t like both of us were in the shot. It was more of a Paris Hilton video. He was taking it with his phone so only I was in the shot. It’s not hot just looking at yourself, you know?

Michael, 29

What do you do for a living?
Bouncer.

Does this job get you dates?
Yes. I don’t know why that is though. Something about girls and authority.

Would you say you’re authoritative in the bedroom?
I guess. I do like to take control… a little hair pulling, a little spanking…

No offense, but you don’t seem like an overly authoritative person.
I’m very bashful.

Do you have a move?
Nah, I’m too shy. Most of my could-be relationships end in friendships because of this. I’m too afraid to make a move. I don’t really pursue girls.

What’s your favorite hookup story?
Last year, I was working, and this chick who came in kept talking to me. She was really hot. My boss saw her talking to me all night. He knew what was going on. So he finally came over and told me to “take a break.” He helped me out a lot that night. We ended up in the bathroom.

The handicap bathroom?
How did you know?

Lucky guess. Where’s the craziest place you’ve had sex?
In a van.

That’s not too crazy.
It was outside of a playground.

Interesting.
It wasn’t anything like that. The girl was late to meet her boyfriend. So we just picked a random spot. It happened to be outside of a playground.

Do you have any sex goals?
What do you mean?

Like a threesome?
Been there.

Sex in a taxi?
Who hasn’t?

Me.
Sucks.

Meg, 27

What do you do for a living?
I’m an actress. I also work at a bar.

Does that get you dates?
Yes. Well, it gets me a lot of phone numbers.

Do you ever call any of them?
Not really. Most of the guys who come in are weird. I mean, there was this really hot guy who gave me his number last week. I called him. But he started talking about how his mother passed away when he was ten, how in debt he was, and how he had been depressed.

Do you have any dealbreakers when it comes to dating?
That was one.

What’s the weirdest thing someone’s ever asked you to do in bed?
Spanking. Like, hardcore spanking. It was especially weird because he was a nine-to-five kind of guy. Ugh! There are so many weird guys out there.

Where’s the craziest place you’ve had sex?
In the car while driving.

Wow. Who was driving?
He was. I straddled him. In retrospect, it was pretty dangerous.

Jennifer, 36

What do you do for a living?
Manufacturing.

Does this job get you dates?
Not at all. It’s a very tight-knit organization, so I’ve known these people forever. We’re like family.

Do you have any moves when it comes to dating?
No particular moves. I talk to anybody. It’s sad, but I guess “my move” is that I’m a real person. I don’t play any games. I tell it like it is and expect the same.

What’s your favorite hookup story?
It was in college at this bar. We were college sweethearts. We were slow dancing together and that’s when I knew I was in love with him. But he’s the love that got away. Maybe that’s why it’s my favorite.

What’s the weirdest thing someone’s asked you to do in bed?
Nothing crazy. We’re small-town girls. I guess the weirdest thing would be like a sex position.

Can you explain a weird sex position you’ve been asked to do?
What’s that one where I’m on my hands and knees, and he’s kneeling behind me?

Doggie-style?
Yeah. I think that’s it. That’s sort of weird.

Where’s the craziest place you’ve had sex?
On the beach.

That seems kind of romantic actually.
It’s not. There were people around. And sand got up into crevices it just shouldn’t be in. It was not romantic in the least.

When it comes to dating, do you have any dealbreakers?
I just want someone to be honest and real with me, like I am with them. Money doesn’t matter. Neither does a job. I guess the guy has to have motivation to catch my eye. He needs to care about something. I can’t stand when guys just sit on their butts all day doing nothing. Women too. Everyone needs a passion in his or her life.

Do you have any sex goals?
Well, you have my age. After a while, sex isn’t really important. I mean, it is. But not like when you were young. It’s not the end all be all. It’s not the most important aspect of a relationship, or life for that matter. There are too many other things that come into play, like love, other passions, life. I think it’s this way for girls at least. Guys are a different story.

Chris, 32

What do you do for a living?
Bartend.

Does this job get you dates?
It’s the only job that gets me dates. But I’m going to tell you about a cliché: everybody thinks bartenders go home with all these girls, but honestly, girls don’t want to wait around until four a.m. watching you clean the bar and count your money. Especially after all their friends are gone. We get laid a lot less than people think.

Do you have a move when trying to pick up girls?
I try to be as charming as possible. “No tab” at the end of the night is a good one. But I like to keep them answering questions. That way she knows that I’m interested in her and not full of myself.

Are you a tits or ass guy?
Definitely ass. And I have a really good reason for that too.

Do tell.
It’s all about natural history. When you think about it, we’re the only upright species. Every other species are bent over, they’re on all fours. So the ass is really what the males are going for. That’s what they want to see. That’s their point of entry.

“Point of entry?”
Well, it is. Cats, bears, dogs… it doesn’t matter. And that’s why men love a woman’s ass more than her tits. When a girl walks by, it doesn’t matter if you’re interested in her or not. A guy is going to turn around and check out her ass. Young guys. Old guys. Doesn’t matter. It’s natural history.

You really thought about this.
Yeah. Ass is far superior to tits.

Originally published Thursday, July 29, 2010 on Nerve.com

There’s something very, je ne sais pas, about sipping an espresso and nibbling a croissant while staring over Le Seine in Paris. One gets a distinct feeling if someone goes by with a baguette and wheels of Brie bobbing about in their bike basket. And there’s certain fluidity to the melody of people talking en Francais.

Last Tuesday, France celebrated their individuality and independence for Bastille Day. However, their motto, “Freedom, equality, brotherhood” appeared remarkably ironic after the following day’s events: the French National Assembly voted 335 to 1 to publicly ban the burqa-style Islamic veils worn by many Muslim women in the country.

If the bill is approved by the upper house and signed into law by President Nicolas Sarkozy, it will be the first national ban in Europe on the “burqa,” a full-body cover that includes a mesh over the face, and the “niqab,” a full-face veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes.

Proponents say the bill is part of an effort to define and protect French values in the face of growing concern among the populace about the country’s Muslim community. Sarkozy argues that the legislation (proposed a year ago) stems from a “moral responsibility” to uphold European values.

In addition, the government argues that face-covering burqas veil the ideal of women’s equality and its secular tradition.

There has been strong public support.

There are more than 62 million people in France. Roughly 5 million are Muslim; it’s estimated that no more than 1,900 women wear a burqa.

If the bill is passed, there will be a:

• $190 fine for anyone found wearing the veil in public.

• $38,000 fine and a year in jail for anyone who forces a woman to wear the veil in public.

This is possibly the most disturbing fact: the French parliament believes that women wear the veil only because they’re forced. But unsurprisingly, there are many Muslim women who have already begun to protest that they will refuse to stop wearing the veil. This means they will refuse to leave their homes.

They are not protesting because their male relatives are forcing them, but because it is their decision to wear the religious garment.

Lawmakers “intend” to free women. Instead, it will restrict religious liberties and further imprison them.

The foundation of European cultural and political traditions is liberalism. Yet, a liberally minded individual understands that the use of force is neither an effective nor moral means of promoting values. Banning an expression of religious conviction in the name of protecting a liberal culture is purely satirical.

No matter what the reasoning – national security, national identity, or the liberation of oppressed women – this act is clear xenophobic intolerance of Muslim beliefs and aesthetics. If passed into law, it will only intensify the sense of discrimination Muslims feel, not only in France, but also throughout Western Europe.

Originally published Sunday, July 24, 2010 in The Dunkirk Observer