The ice may slowly be breaking in the land of intolerance ...
.... under pressure from a population, 70% of whom are under 30 yrs of age, and who have had access to the outside world, Saudi Arabia will finally allow women to attend sports events in stadiums for the first time from next year, despite following a strict form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism.
But not alone, only as part of family attendance i.e. chaperoned. This follows changes to allow women to drive cars (although not if they protested about this issue .... its jail for them) .... they have even allowed pop concerts and cinemas to open up (but to mainly male audiences or chaperoned females). Women there, have even been able to vote since 2015 (wow as long ago as that!!). Education is compulsory for girls and boys until age 15, and more women than men graduate from university (hence their willingness to protest at restrictions).
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| Family Stands The Future In The 'Reformed' Saudi Arabia ..... |
.... under pressure from a population, 70% of whom are under 30 yrs of age, and who have had access to the outside world, Saudi Arabia will finally allow women to attend sports events in stadiums for the first time from next year, despite following a strict form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism.
But not alone, only as part of family attendance i.e. chaperoned. This follows changes to allow women to drive cars (although not if they protested about this issue .... its jail for them) .... they have even allowed pop concerts and cinemas to open up (but to mainly male audiences or chaperoned females). Women there, have even been able to vote since 2015 (wow as long ago as that!!). Education is compulsory for girls and boys until age 15, and more women than men graduate from university (hence their willingness to protest at restrictions).
This is a part of an attempt to return to a "moderate Islam" in which a people live a "life in which our religion translates to tolerance". However, the term slowly (or very slowly) may be applied here as:
In fact the Saudi 'Guardianship system' means that male permission or accompaniment is required for women in any situation such as:
.... but of course, as some Saudi clerics preach that women only have half a man's brain to begin with, and that it gets worse when they go out shopping as they "end up with only a quarter" of a brain, then there is very little hope for Saudi women.
Oddly this already strict form of Islam, was actually reinforced following an even more extremist led rebellion way back in 1979 that was bloodily suppressed. In fact, the gender inequality in Saudi is only considered to be worse in Yemen and Syria in the middle-east today ... but Iran has some harsh restrictions, especially on women's dress code and behaviours.
Non-Saudi Muslim women are legally permitted a more liberal dress code, and if they are not Muslim then they are permitted to not cover their heads, but in practice foreign women whether Muslim or non Muslim, travelling there, report having to cover up with an abaya before leaving the airport i.e. Paper liberalism is ignored by the authorities on the ground.
However we shouldn't think that the Saudis are the only state to treat its women as halfwits (or half brains), other nut case state states include:
- Women have to adhere to very strict dress codes and
- Must not associate with unrelated men i.e virtually everyone so work is difficult.
- If they want to travel they must be accompanied by - or receive written permission from - a male 'guardian'.
- If they want to access healthcare they must be accompanied by - or receive written permission from - a male 'guardian'.
- If they want to work (that satisfies all the other conditions/restrictions), they must be accompanied by - or receive written permission from - a male 'guardian'.
In fact the Saudi 'Guardianship system' means that male permission or accompaniment is required for women in any situation such as:
- Applying for passports.
- Travelling abroad.
- Getting married.
- Opening a bank account.
- Starting certain businesses.
- Getting elective surgery.
- Leaving prison.
- and in the courts, one man's court testimony is equal to that of two women.
.... but of course, as some Saudi clerics preach that women only have half a man's brain to begin with, and that it gets worse when they go out shopping as they "end up with only a quarter" of a brain, then there is very little hope for Saudi women.
Oddly this already strict form of Islam, was actually reinforced following an even more extremist led rebellion way back in 1979 that was bloodily suppressed. In fact, the gender inequality in Saudi is only considered to be worse in Yemen and Syria in the middle-east today ... but Iran has some harsh restrictions, especially on women's dress code and behaviours.
Non-Saudi Muslim women are legally permitted a more liberal dress code, and if they are not Muslim then they are permitted to not cover their heads, but in practice foreign women whether Muslim or non Muslim, travelling there, report having to cover up with an abaya before leaving the airport i.e. Paper liberalism is ignored by the authorities on the ground.
However we shouldn't think that the Saudis are the only state to treat its women as halfwits (or half brains), other nut case state states include:
- China: China's education ministry prevents women from studying mining, tunnel engineering, navigation and other subjects - a decision made in order to respect for women's 'safety', while they are often forced to retire at age 55 (men 65) to open jobs for men.
- Israel: In Israel, women cannot get a divorce without their husband's permission as the system is ruled by religious courts.
- UK: And in one "extraordinarily unusual in modern times" case in the UK, judges told a woman (Tini Owens) who wanted a divorce, that she could not have it, because her husband wished to stay married and had not acted unreasonably (she can have a divorce after reaching 5 years separation) .... it was an odd case.
- Russia: In Russia, there is a list of jobs women are not allowed to do, including carpentry, fire fighting, train driving and captaining boats. Again conditions are allegedly set for women's 'safety'.
- Indonesia: Women in one Indonesian (Muslim) city have been prohibited from straddling motorbikes when they ride as passengers behind men. The mayor of Lhokseumawe said women should sit side-saddle to save people's "morals and behaviours". The district previously also banned women from wearing tight trousers, saying these would be confiscated, cut up on the spot and replaced with a government-issue skirt wherever found.
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| Pillion riding - The Right And Wrong Way .... |
- Sudan: For women in Sudan, the punishment for wearing trousers - considered "indecent" clothing - is a good Islamic lashing.
Its a tough life for women under many regimes it appears .....
It must be exhausting, oppressing 50% of the population, especially when you know that it's wrong.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that this actually happens and that the "slippery slope" brigade are right for once.
What on earth makes you think that they even entertain the idea that its wrong to treat women like this?
DeleteProbably half of the men think its ordained that way, and shamefully a large percentage of the women agree with those men.
Perhaps half of the men think that it's ordained but then I'll bet that a lot of those don't actually believe in a omnipotent guy in the sky. Many religious have more of a belief in belief than they do in an actual god - they think that religion provides a framework for society and god or no god, they purport to believe - and follow its teachings.
DeleteMany others will go along with the idea that women are inferior through ego and/or because it suits them, not because they actually believe it.
Anyway, I don't know what the numbers are but there must be a fair few in Saudi Arabia who know it's wrong and for them it must be difficult to be part of it - it was to those that I was referring, not all of them.
Well apparently a popular app in Saudi Arabia is a woman tracker ... not a sign of a culture that's about to liberalise. I don't believe that many men bought up in their culture and religion find it too hard or difficult to treat women as second class.
DeleteThe mad Saudi Cleric Saad-al-Hijri who preached that a woman who was driving a car had her brain shrink to only the quarter size of a mans has been banned from preaching and suspended from all religious activity. Progress of sorts I suppose .....
ReplyDelete