On November 6, 1990, 40 brave Saudi women drove their cars in public in Riyadh, the capital city, to demand their right to drive. They were quickly detained, their passports were confiscated, and they were fired from their jobs.
On the 19th anniversary of this event, Saudi women activists, led by prominent Saudi activist and journalist Wajeha al Huwaider, are launching the Black Ribbons Campaign. They want to move about in the world freely, without a male minder.
Al Huwaider has called for the abolition of the mahram (“guardian”) law which requires women to obtain the approval of a male relative for nearly any move they make in their lives. She is also demanding that Saudi women be treated as a citizens, just like their male counterparts, and that they be allowed to travel, drive, gain custody of their children, work, study, etc., just like their male counterparts. The Saudi women will not “untie their ribbons until Saudi women enjoy their rights as adult citizens.”
But in only nineteen years, how the times have changed! Once, Muslim women chose not to wear hijab—in Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Iran, etc. Today, some Muslim women insist not only on shroud-veiling, but on having male babysitters as well!
For example, the fully-shrouded Saudi princess, Jawaher bint Jalawi, says she must have and cannot part with her male “guardian” who accompanies her wherever she goes. She insists that only he knows what’s best for her. In response to Al Huwaider, the (government-backed?) princess has launched a campaign called “My Guardian Knows What’s Best for me.”
I wonder if she is one of the princesses who immediately shed their shrouds once the plane clears The Kingdom. But the princess’s stand is also a perfect example of how a prisoner fears the light, an example of the way in which women internalize sexism and try to enforce the status quo by keeping other women in line. This is a phenomenon that I discuss at length in Woman’s Inhumanity to Woman.
But Saudi Arabia is a very strange place. For example, a new TV show that discusses issues concerning teenage girls and female university students was recently broadcast with Saudi presenters dressed in black from head to toe. The show, Asrar Al-Banat (The Secrets of Girls), is broadcast on Awtan TV, a Saudi religious channel. One broadcaster said: “Basically, this is my hijab and I don’t wear it because of the channel.”
On the one hand, we have Saudi princesses who insist upon male minders and Saudi broadcasters who do not mind reporting the news covered in black from head to toe. On the other hand, we have highly aggressive women who oppress other women hellishly—in Iran, for example, but now also in Indonesia, where there is a newly created female Shari’a police. These humorless and self-important ladies go around Bandeh Aceh reprimanding other women for wearing clothing that they view as “too tight”—but these women have no male minders and are, in fact, also allowed to reprimand men who are not praying at the proper time.
I totally support the Saudi feminists and yet, as I read their list of demands, I also feel sad that they cannot also demand the right to walk about without being “covered,” the right to feel the sun on their faces as they shop or visit a garden. Indeed, my assistant asked a perfectly sensible question: “Where exactly will the Saudi women wear the black ribbon? Who will be able to see it if they are totally covered up?” Probably on their wrists—where I shall wear mine.
Historically, many Muslim women have resisted the Veil. Some have even done so for religious reasons. Yes—for religious reasons. According to Algerian-American sociology professor Marnia Lazreg, the Veil is not mandated in the Qu’ran; “modesty” may be expressed in many ways—indeed, Muslim men might start behaving more “modestly” towards both veiled and unveiled women; reducing Islam to one visual symbol, especially one that highly restricts, suffocates, and compromises only women, not men, is outrageous and tragic. Lazreg makes these arguments and more in her excellent, elegant book Questioning the Veil: Open Letters to Muslim Women.
According to Lazreg, Muslim girls and women once walked freely in their cities. They were not often harassed by men. That time is over. Ironically, as more women comply, give in, embrace wearing the Veil, this does not mean that either veiled or unveiled women are safer. On the contrary. Today, the Islamic Veil does not keep harassers away.
Let me note: Lazreg views the state, the family, and the culture which force women to veil as no different from the European secular state which forces Muslim women not to veil. She believes that women’s bodies are their own and that each woman should have the right to choose what clothing she will wear for herself. Her argument is a powerful one and I shall return to it in a future column. Lazreg does conclude by imploring Muslim women not to wear the veil.
I will start wearing a black ribbon on November 6th. I will keep doing so until Saudi women are free. Please join me. This black ribbon can become quite a conversation-opener and consciousness-raiser. Remember: We are not really free when others are still in chains, especially if we refuse to hear their cries, and refuse to support and honor their brave, potential liberators.
PJM Home
Woman's Inhumanity to Woman
The Death of Feminism: What’s Next in the Struggle for Women’s Freedom
Women and Madness
The New Anti-Semitism: The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It
Women of the Wall: Claiming Sacred Ground at Judaism’s Holy Site
Letters to a Young Feminist
With Child: A Diary of Motherhood
Feminist Foremothers in Women’s Studies, Psychology, and Mental Health
Patriarchy: Notes of an Expert Witness
Sacred Bond: The Legacy of Baby M
Mothers on Trial: The Battle for Children and Custody
About Men
Women, Money & Power
Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.
2. Stay on topic.
3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.
4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.
5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.
9 Comments
1. David W. Lincoln:Given that the Government of “Saudi” Arabia is as well prepared to govern as the Diem government of South Vietnam was, when a Buddhist monk immolated himself just before the 1962 Congressional elections in the United States (in other words, not at all); a continental preparatory regime for “Saudi” Arabia, and the other countries in Asia which need it, is the best route to the future. This can be used to justify the passing of the reins, until the day comes when Arabia is ready to be governed by Arabians, instead of for Arabians by others.
For when a government is not ready to govern,
Nov 5, 2009 - 4:19 pm 2. George Jochnowitz:those who are governed pay much too high a price.
On March 11, 2002, the religious police in Saudi Arabia prevented the fire department from rescuing girls from a burning building.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Mecca_girls‘_school_fire
Nov 5, 2009 - 4:43 pm 3. MiamaMan:That’s the kind of country Saudi Arabia is.
It is important to bring out all the dirty laundry of Islam. This is one of the few things I agree with Michael Moore, that we have not done enough to wean ourselves from Saudi oil, and ultimately we support their Islamofacist government.
You wrote: “According to Algerian-American sociology professor Marnia Lazreg, the Veil is not mandated in the Qu’ran”
Apparently nothing is in the Koran anymore. Veiling is not, or the Minder (like Scientology), Honor Killing is not in the Koran, FMJ is not there either apparently, so, the only thing perhaps we need to tell Muslims is: TO FOLLOW THE KORAN, ha, ha.
Nov 5, 2009 - 5:15 pm 4. Lynn:Speaking of weaning, I have never heard of a more strange and weird belief system as Islam. After bloodying the world with their filthy sword they has much time to sit beneath their filthy tents and imagine all sorts of strange rules, even arguing on who owns a women’s breast milk and how many time she must breast feed a man so that he will be her guardian (Rada).
How much longer must we endure this grime under our finger nails as we scratch our way out of the hole we fell into when we decided to show “respect” for this mind that wallows and lurks in the dark corners of this earth.
Trying to make Islam respectable for women is futile because it had no respect for woman from the beginning. A black ribbon is for mourning and surely that is what Islam has given us. Surely it knew to fear woman because weren’t we promised that through a woman would our salvation come? Yes, this enmity between the deceiver and women has surely produced the fruit of Islam, and it is bitter to the mouth.
Nov 6, 2009 - 7:16 am 5. Saudi Arabia: Veiled Saudi Women Launch a Freedom Campaign — by Phyllis Chesler :: Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.):[...] Saudi Arabia: Veiled Saudi Women Launch a Freedom Campaign — by Phyllis Chesler [...]
Nov 6, 2009 - 2:59 pm 6. HellenoChristian:I agree with MiamaMan.
I would say to Lazreg that in the West you can wear whatever you like, covered or not (usually avoiding clothes which forbid you to be recognize, or going around fully nacked), but you are not allowed to follow dangerous doctrines (which now the West identifies with KKK alike or Nazi alike, …).
The Islamic veil isn’t a veil like another, it is the symbol of a DANGEROUS doctrine, therefore it does pose a problem to the whole society, when there are women wearing it and men suggesting women to wear it.
I was recently reading another article about a so called moderate, which was making the mentioned apology of Islam: according to his moderate and enlightened preaching, Islam started being violent after Muhammad’s death, due to the gruesome people who took Muhammad’s place. Of course, he remembered how – on the other hand – peaceful Koran is, and I guess the conclusion is that we all, in the West, have to embrace and celebrate Islam, because it and its Koran is so peaceful and enlightened.
I mean, when it comes to Islam, historical facts (of the past and the present) have to be totally removed in order to leave full place to most phantasious phantasies and to UTOPIAS: Islam has to be seen as “the (perfect) way” by everyone, no criticism is allowed (and anyone who dares to do it, is a “Right winger” – meaning a Fascist/Raccist/Whatever? -), it must be dressed with lies and deceptions in order to turn it more digestable (or forcibly digestable), and people like Nonie Darwish and Wafa Sultan (women, unveiled, enjoyers of Freedoms, modest, undependant, responsible for self and society, skilled, clever, brave, …) have never to be mentioned and have not to be considered a model for Islamic women (despite the fact they are/were Islamic women, too), above all when it comes to their very effective and essential criticism of Islam (Islam).
I would like to wear the black ribbon, but I wonder: will it be like the green one, wore for Iranians, who are now yelling indoctrinated things like “Allahu akbar” making (me) believe/understand that their intention was/is to substitue a dictator with another, and NOT REALLY BEING FREE AND CIVILIZED people (like they were as Persians), the way they first claimed, asking for Solidarity?
Nov 6, 2009 - 6:15 pm 7. Ann:The black ribbon worn by saudi women on the 9th November will probably not be seen as many wear black gloves and even black socks. But looking to the future, what about the tiny tots 2 years and up who are made to cover their heads and their bodies, not faces – yet – particularly Indonesian girls more so than little Saudi girls, These are the next generations who are being indoctrinated from an even earlier age, so regrettably I don’t expect anything to change. It really is a man’s world out here in the ME.
Nov 7, 2009 - 7:20 am 8. Greenconsciousness:I just heard on NPR that Saudi women have serious Vitamin D deficiencies because of the black shrouds they wear in the sun. I never thought about the health implications of their stupid male oppressions but of course along with the cancer they are not allowed to talk about.
Nov 8, 2009 - 5:56 am 9. sandy oestreich:Dear Ms Chesler,
THANK YOU for this update on veiled Saudi women and their uprising.
We at Equal Rights Alliance Inc (now a national organization) feed at that trough because we can now say, “IF Saudi women can do THAT, surely WE can stand tall for the ERA in America!” It helps immensely.
We MUST rouse American women .. and men.. to engage in the ERA effort!
ERA Inc will be exploding America’s ERA landscape in March 2010. Take a walk thru our web site, http://www.RatifyERAflorida.net, occasionally for occ., sporadic bill updates and reports on the national ERA scene, dear Ms Chesler.
Terribly hard and loooong work for 8 years, but ERA is WORTH IT! We WILL do this.
Absolutely.
My BEST to YOU.
Sandy Oestreich, Pres., ERA Inc
Nov 8, 2009 - 8:30 amProf. Emerita,etc 727 393-0932, unlisted due to death threats