Fitna in Saudi Society

A reader emailed this article:

Carefully unbuttoning her black abaya, Mariam Bin Laden holds a lacy flesh-coloured bra against her chest to see whether it is the right fit. That simple act, taken for granted by women in most countries around the world, would once have been scandalous in Saudi Arabia.

What changed?

Up until last year, buying underwear revealed a strange contradiction in the tradition-bound kingdom: despite the fact that Saudi Arabia remains one of the few countries in the world where the sexes are officially segregated, women's goods such as underwear, cosmetics and perfumes were sold by men.

"Can you imagine standing there completely covered in your abaya and have a strange man guess your cup size?" Ms. Bin Laden asked.

Why that little Caligula!

Last year, a government edict broke with Saudi tradition and ordered lingerie stores in mixed-sex shopping areas to replace their salesmen with saleswomen across the kingdom, as part of a national drive to empower Saudi women.

OMG. What next? Allowing women to drive. Allah forbid!

Later on from the story:

"I want something transparent," said one of the customers, covered from head to toe.

Whore!

Comments

[JayJay]

A hypcritical society to the core!

Whther it is the custom of Misyar or banning women from driving, no other country is more misogynist.

[BT in SA]

The deadline for women to work in lingerie stores keeps getting moved - farther and farther off... Men are still doing the job. I needed a black strapless bra and when I went to purchase one I asked for it in a specific size which, of course, wasn't available, but the man waiting on me told me that "this one" [two inches larger and one cup size smaller] would be the same thing. Ahh, no. It isn't.

Another shopping excursion... When attempting to find a Chanel lipgloss I like, the man waiting on me told me that another Chanel line was actually the better lipgloss. Really? And just how would YOU know that?!?

We will NEVER be able to drive here in Saudi; and for all the new laws and rules that are enacted, partly in efforts to effectuate and enforce Saudization, you won't see very many female clerks unless you are at a Women Only shopping center.