"Saudi women are holding a day of action to challenge the kingdom's ban on female driving, amid signs of slowly growing readiness by the authorities to consider reform in the face of strong opposition by the clerical establishment."
Twitter, Facebook and other social media have been used to get women drivers on the roads on Saturday in a marathon push against this unique restriction."
Activists say they have 16,600 signatures on an online petition calling for change. Efforts to publicise the issue by the "October 26 driving for women" group have been described as the best-organised social campaign ever seen in Saudi Arabia, where Twitter has millions of users and is used to circulate information about the monarchy and official corruption."
Arguments aimed at keeping women off the roads can be shocking and nonsensical. "If a woman drives a car that could have negative physiological impacts as...physiological medical studies show that it automatically affects the ovaries and pushes the pelvis upwards," warned Sheikh Saleh bin Saad al-Lohaidan."
Nafjan argued in a commentary for Amnesty International that the fundamental issue was challenging patriarchy. "If there was one word to describe what it is like to be a Saudi woman, it would be the word patronising. No matter how long you live, you remain a minor in the eyes of the government."
the guardian
22 comments:
The extremes of feminist lunacy in the West, in my mind, equal the extremes of Wahhabi fundamentalism.
I'd consider that, if I were a Saudi man, before I got caught up in the perfect justice idealization that commands the West.
I tend to take Western reporting on the "condition" of women in non-Western societies with a grain of salt. Especially in a publication as lefty as The Guardian.
I've spent time in the Philippines. It is not the chamber of horrors for women that lefties like to paint. In fact, it is a matriarchal society. Filipino women run everything important, while maintaining a public stance of deferring to men.
Dudes. It's slippery slope. Be careful.
lol Yeah. I wonder what ST's girlfriend would think of having to go everywhere accompanied by a male relative?
lol Yeah. I wonder what ST's girlfriend would think of having to go everywhere accompanied by a male relative?
She doesn't think about politics, so she would think nothing.
If you haven't spent considerable time abroad, you might consider why different societies have different social arrangements.
I haven't been to Saudi Arabia, so I have no idea why that society is organized in that fashion. Until I have actually spent considerable time there, I don't think I need to have an opinion.
When I am in the Philippines, the family assigns a big, muscular teenager to accompany me wherever I go, in case kidnappers try to grab me. That's the way things are. You got a fix for that? Would a fix be effective just because of what you "think" about it?
"You got a fix for that?"
Bull dikes. Every family should have one.
A guy like you needing a body guard...danger is surely afoot. I "think."
Those women might consider driving to Jordan or Bahrain and leaving Saudi Arabia.
The women in Colombia take a different tack when they want something.
http://comonocreerendios-lem.blogspot.com/2013/10/women-say-no-sex-until-their-demands.html
Evi, something tells me these gals are kept on a pretty short leash, cash-wise.
Lately I've been refusing sex to protest the shortage of women offering it. That'll teach them.
The House of Saud has only one concern, mollifying the more wild eyed of the mullahs in the kingdom. For that reason female liberation isn't even on the back burner.
Hang tough and don't give in, bags.
One of the more strained memes in recent weeks amongst the right-wing commentariat has been that Obama 'offended' the delicate sensibilities of our steadfast 'allies' the Saudis. This is from a group that routinely refer to arabs as towelheads. The hypocrisy inherent in this particular line of attack is dumbfoundingly obvious, leading to the conclusion that after years of ill-founded attacks these pundits have lost all intellectual integrity and will be just mailing in any random slur that comes to mind during the remainder of Obama's term.
@AReasonableMan
That response included so many cliches and so much predictable, incoherent bullshit, that all I can say is...
Bla, Bla, Bla...
You're almost as good as Ritmo at talking to the voices in your head.
Well ST why don't you point out where I went wrong. See if you can rise above the level of, to quote, "Bla Bla Bla".
Another revolution in the making.
AnUnreasonableTroll said...
One of the more strained memes in recent weeks amongst the right-wing commentariat has been that Obama 'offended' the delicate sensibilities of our steadfast 'allies' the Saudis. This is from a group that routinely refer to arabs as towelheads.
No examples, of course, but what do facts matter?
Actually, the Choom Gang has achieved the almost unimaginable feat of ticking off the entire world - friends, enemies, and anybody in between - with its ham-handed incompetence.
Well, they are towel heads. Is that in dispute? If you really want to insult them call them "feminists".
Do you think Saudi's are really insulted by "towel head". Are liberals insulted by "bleeding heart" or dedicated Christians by "bible thumper"? I know I'm proud being a "wingnut", but I have to admit to now being ashamed of "Althouse Hillbilly", but just the "Althouse" part.
I don't think the right wing commentariat is as hard on Saudis as lefties are on Tea Partiers. You know, those patriotic fellow citizens who pay their taxes, and want the government to handle it's finances responsibly. Those crazy bastards.
When I say "lefites" I mean national elected Democratic leaders on national television talking from the floor of the Capitol.
edutcher said...
Actually, the Choom Gang has achieved the almost unimaginable feat of ticking off the entire world - friends, enemies, and anybody in between - with its ham-handed incompetence.
No examples, of course, but what do facts matter?
You know, those patriotic fellow citizens who pay their taxes, and want the government to handle it's finances responsibly. Those crazy bastards.
According to the official Obama network, Tea party people burn crosses in their yards. It's not true, but you know - so what?
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