The imams get no respect. If a woman, religious or otherwise, was to go around prescribing that other women should wear face coverings because their faces are immodest, I would heap scorn on her, although I would NOT attempt to silence her. On the other hand, if a woman says that she personally wears face coverings because she believes that it is immodest to expose her face, I might well still heap scorn on her but I would also respect her right to be foolish and would not attempt to force her to act contrary to her beliefs.