@Zachski:
"I would rather empower a Muslim feminist who chooses to wear a total blanket than I would empower a western feminist who talks over the Muslim feminist.
You're absolutely free to disagree with the clothing choices, criticize their origins, and stuff like that. But banning it because you're offended on their behalf is a little presumptuous."
No-one here has called for the banning of the burqa because it offends our sensibility, and those that do don't ten to, barring the far-right loons. People have expressed opposition because of the rejection of a modesty culture which represses women. We haven't opposed the repression of the LGBT because it offends our sensibilities, but because it's discriminatory. Those who oppose a misogynistic practice, with a focus on women's rights, are doing so through similar reasoning. I must reiterate that I am not for banning the burqa.
You are dismissive of those from non-Islamic backgrounds who are critical of the idea of covering up, but you're not exactly in line with the likes of Taj Hargey, Asra Nomani or Maajid Nawaz either over the issue, all of whom are Muslims. Unfortunately, this is not surprising, as there's a tendency on the left to ally themselves with the Islamic right wing over the issue, believing that they are being liberal and progressive by tolerating and encouraging intolerance. The liberal Muslims and reformists are then shunned, because they don't fit the mould of what many on the left sees as a good Muslim.
"Besides, the western world has its own problems with objectification and lack of individuality, and we're on the other side of the spectrum when it comes to modesty, practically."
Whilst there may be an issue with women being seen as nothing more than sex objects by some men in the 'west', it's not as toxic, as harmful or as prevalent as it is in the Islamic world. There is no equivalence between this and the ultraconservative, forceful environment in which many women are led to believe that they must cover up by the imams, pressured into it by friends and family and are forced into it through law by some states. Women here aren't being encouraged into wearing sexy lingerie by community leaders, women aren't being pressured by family and friends into wearing bikinis and women aren't being forced by law to show their cleavage. If anyone tries to demean a woman, to bully and abuse them, then there are laws to deal with it and a greater cultural acceptance of women standing up for their rights. I find a culture which is open about sexuality, despite its imperfections, to be far more acceptable than a culture which demeans and represses sexuality.