Several parents pleaded with a Quebec Superior Court judge on Monday to uphold the province's religious symbols ban in order to shield their children from being exposed to the hijab, which they believe conveys a "pernicious" sexist message. Among the most controversial provisions in the law is a prohibition on public teachers from wearing religious symbols at work. They also stressed they wore the hijab by choice and did not seek to impart their religious beliefs on students. During a lengthy cross-examination, Lefebvre also said religious symbols aren't always worn out of religious conviction, noting that pop culture acts like Madonna have appropriated the cross for wholly non-religious uses. Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard asked Lefebvre if a wedding ring constituted a religious symbol.

Source: CBC News November 10, 2020 00:11 UTC