Fidan Ekiz, as the presenter of Op1 yesterday, strongly spoke out against the Arnhem plan to make boas with a headscarf possible. “That is not a neutral piece of cloth at all.”
It is not usual for talk show hosts to take their own stage to express an opinion, but Fidan Ekiz did that yesterday in Op1. “Colleague Ekiz, you’ve been getting worked up about something else all day,” announced her co-host Sven Kockelmann.
Neutral piece of fabric
Fidan then let go. “Yes, in Arnhem do they allow boas to wear a headscarf – or a yarmulke or a turban – with their uniform. The proposal came from Denk, United Arnhem and D66.”
A fragment of the Arnhem Think-politician Yildrim Usta was then started. “A headscarf is definitely neutral. It is a piece of clothing, a piece of cloth. It is part of the uniform, not an addition.”
‘What nonsense!’
What nonsense, says Fidan. “Okay, a headscarf is neutral, it’s a piece of cloth. On this I would like to say: as long as women in Iran can get 24 years in prison, like the women’s rights activist we see here got, for protesting against the headscarf and taking off the headscarf, I don’t think it’s really a neutral piece of fabric. That’s one.”
She continues: “What is so disappointing to me is: I think it is an important value in our system that we have a separation between church and state. I think boas, but also police officers, should radiate neutrality. If you lose that, you also lose your legitimacy. I think it’s a shame that a small group of people in this country want to change such an important system.”
Agree with Fidan
Former athlete Gregory Sedoc is now a police officer. What does he think? “I totally agree with Fidan. It’s always wrong what I say now, but I think that as a police officer in my case you should always be neutral. Faith should always be separate from the uniform you wear. In that sense I completely agree with you, Fidan.”
Fidan: “It is said that it is about inclusivity, while I think there are so many areas where you can work on inclusivity. Or look at employment discrimination. There are so many areas where work needs to be done. This is nothing more than symbolic politics.”
Mixed reactions
Fidan’s statements are met with mixed reactions. Telegraaf journalist Mick van Wely thinks it’s great. “That’s how it is Fidan.”
Others find it hypocritical that Fidan does not consider boas with a headscarf neutral, while as a talk show host she herself is not. Bright editor Floris Poort: “You used to have talk show presenters who kept their opinions to themselves in order to radiate neutrality and not lose their legitimacy.”
Fragment
Fidan in Op1: