I've been reading a little bit about the current issue regarding the veils worn by some Muslim women, and the alleged problems they bring with identity and with communication. I respect people's religious beliefs, but when I hear the argument that all you need to communicate is the voice, I wonder what such women think about why their god would give them facial expressions if they weren't supposed to use them?

Meanwhile, I find it perfectly natural to feel that anyone who hides their face — their identity — has something to hide. That's not prejudice or blame, it's just the way it comes across. If you were walking around town shopping with a balaclava, wouldn't someone think you suspicious? Is that prejudiced?

Perhaps the needs of those who dislike that anonymity ought to be given equal weight in amongst the religious debates: why should some people be allowed to mask themselves when, for example, teenagers are asked not to wear hoodies in certain public places? Just by claiming a belief. How is that fair to the rest of us?