I have been actively watching and supporting the women's rights movement in Saudi Arabia. They have a much bigger hill to climb than we ever did. In America we were fighting against a cultural norm rooted in more in history than religion In the Middle East, their cultural norm is rooted more strongly in religion...and their cultural norms stronger based on the less dichotomous nature of their populations... which is more difficult to change While the Qu'ran and Mohammad have instances of strong women, the culture has ingrained beliefs as part of it's religion in regards to the place and treatment of women. Christianity also did a lot for women's rights throughout the world. While women may not have been exactly equal...they had changed from property to people/disciples that would spread the word of Jesus. Still bound by cultural norms, they couldn't fully participate...but no longer were they exempt. The same is true today...in Catholicism, women are not allowed to be priests based on this norm. Slowly, there has been a movement to change that...but since it is entrenched in dogma it is difficult...thankfully the Bible does not explicitly prohibit women...so the change will eventually happen.
This is not so in many Middle Eastern countries...in part because BOTH genders have some resistance. In Saudi Arabia, not only can women not be without a male guardian (husband or father), they are the only women not allowed to drive. The guardianship is directly from the Qu'ran:
| Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. |
| Qur'an 4:34 |
I honestly do not have an issue with the premise of guardianship. I have lived alone for over 17 years and it would have been really nice, many times to have a man to watch over and protect you. I have had to learn to do that job for myself....but would willing give it up...with one caveat. I disagree with the way guardianship has manifested....what started out as a protection, has become a prison. Unfortunately, women were again treated like property. The men make the decisions for the women and they must ask permission to even leave their houses. I would not like someone telling me what I can or can't do...therein lies the rub. Women in Saudi Arabia who want change...also want the same thing...to be afforded the protection but have the ability to decide their lives for themselves. There are some facebook pages to support Women 2 Drive in Saudi Arabia:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Women2drive-Manal-and-Bertha-Woman2drive-17-June-Saudi-Arabia/176962935691371
http://www.facebook.com/Women2Drive
http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article464039.ece
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