Does Saudi society suffer from schizophrenia in relation to women’s participation in its activities and institutions? In fact, many notions prove that the mental inconsistencies and contradictions of schizophrenia do indeed exist. Recently, three officials made statements to the media that were enough to prove the presence of schizophrenia.
Jeddah Mayor Adel Fakieh stated his opposition to women’s employment in engineering positions. Saudi society will not accept a woman wearing a helmet and going out in the field to work,” he said.
Society still underestimates Saudi women’s capabilities and qualifications and still believes in making her have legal guardians. It seems as if women, even if they have the requirements and skills, are perpetual children under the dominance of superior men who are never satisfied.
The mayor also gave himself the right to speak in the name of society, its sectors and forces without realizing how he came to such conclusions.
I don’t know if I should remind the honorable mayor that our society seems perfectly comfortable with black abaya-clad women in the streets, running from one taxi to another involving themselves with social security problems, charitable aid or the problems of begging in mosques and even at people’s houses.
Since nobody is unable to accept women doing these things, why is that society cannot accept them as engineers, managers or inspectors in the municipality, earning a living with dignity?
Showing genuine respect for Saudi woman is not just about mottos that say she belongs at home. Honoring women must be proved by educating her and enabling her to step forward in the national work force.
Another disturbing statement came from Khaled Al-Mulhim, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines. He strongly opposes any employment of Saudi women as airhostesses or supervisors in airports. He makes it sound as if the very idea were a mortal sin that he very much regrets even having to mention. There are respectable well-dressed women of all nationalities who have been working for decades as airhostesses for Saudi Arabian Airlines and there are also women employed as part of the airline’s work force which nobody objects to. But we still reject the idea of Saudi women working in some positions because the idea of including women in the work force came very late.
A third unfortunate announcement was made by the Shoura Council. It recently refused to consider women having a place on official athletic teams. Reference was also made to the International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban Saudi Arabia from the Games if Saudi women were not involved in international sports. The Shoura’s justification was that the Kingdom would not sacrifice its religion and its values just to be in the Olympic Games.
I wish the Shoura Council were a bit more accurate when making official pronouncements. Saudi Arabia will not lose its religion or values if its women participate, along with other Muslim women from other Muslim countries, in the Olympic Games. In fact, the presence of women in the Games would reflect a civilized image of Islam and its flexibility to suit all times and ages.
Civilized societies do not fear women succeeding and progressing. They in fact support women’s endeavors and take into account that men and women are both integral parts of society and should participate equally and receive equal treatment.
