Religious women in Iran, whether they wear a chador or not, tend to at least some basic elements of beauty. Ahmadinejad's wife Farahi has belied even that.

For some governments, banning burqas about placing a legal element of moderation on public dress. Worldwide today, total nudity is usually illegal, these governments are simply saying that the other extreme is also not acceptable.

Verbally attacking women and banning them from public places is not the right path for France to choose. These actions only serve to further isolate Muslim women from society.

In a society where about 70% of the university population is female, the election vetting process is a sad comment on the true condition of Iran's girls and women: second-class citizens.