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I am normally quite open minded but when it comes to mini skirts in Gurdwara, I am going to say a big NO NO. If said person in mini skirt is sitting in front of me I really do not want to be exposed to the details of their behind and underwear when matha teking exactly because I am not obsessed with the human body!! Sorry to be blunt but that's the way it is! Long skirts, saris and lenga's also have the same practical problems but not the decency problems.

There is a fine line between personal choice and respect for others as Ishna ji puts it well. If we all were governed by personal choice only, society would soon degenerate. Everyone has different boundaries. The person in the mini skirt has made a choice to go to Gurdwara so they have no excuse not to respect the etiquette there. I don't go to Vatican city and demand to be allowed in with bare shoulders, I do not go to my Chinese friends house and refuse to take off my shoes as I should be allowed to choose etc. People don't seem to like to think of the effect of their actions. Modern society has become all about me!

Put into a wider context the balance between personal choice/freedom and the respect for the population is played out constantly around us - in discussions over the media, the laws, security measures etc.

Apologies for the digression. Trying to relate back to the thread starter, one of the choices Muslim and Sikh women have is to cover hair. In Sikhi, the reason for wearing a dastar has been discussed and include looking after kesh, identity and equality with men. If women have other reasons please discuss. Women in Islam also cover their head with a hijab. The quoted reason for this is modesty. I would be interested in hearing from a Muslim woman's perspective why they choose to wear a hijab (or even burqa)?