Driving as Act of Radical Feminism
Posted: June 17, 2011 Filed under: Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia, Women's Rights | Tags: civil disobedience, Saudi Women, wheels of change 19 CommentsToday has been a very special day in Saudi Arabia. Some Saudi women are participating in “Wheels of Change” by driving 
their vehicles as an act of civil disobedience against treatment of women in the nation.
Saudi activists, encouraged by the Arab Spring and by the outlets for expression offered through Facebook and Twitter, declared Friday a day for Saudi women to take to the streets, behind steering wheels.
Saudi Arabia remains perhaps the only country in the world where women are banned from driving — even though no law explicitly bars Saudi women from driving. Saudi leaders from King Abdullah on down have said they believe Saudi women should be allowed to drive.
Inside and outside Saudi Arabia, some tend to see the ban as a frivolous issue — the stereotype being a Saudi woman princess in sunglasses wanting a little independence as she drives to Starbucks for a latte.
Activists and writers like Eman Fahad al Nafjan, a blogger, doctoral student, and mother in Riyadh, call the impact of the ban profound, saying that it limits women’s mobility into female employment and education, despite efforts by King Abdullah to boost both. And in a kingdom that the International Labor Organization says is the only country in the Gulf Cooperation Council with a significant poverty rate, the ban is a drain on the resources of women, forcing many households to pay thousands of dollars a year for drivers, opponents say.
AJ is also reporting on these acts of civil disobedience against one of the most conservative monarchies in the area. This is truly an act of bravery in this country. Saudi Arabia has not yet experienced much civil unrest during the so-called “Arab spring’.
The subject of women driving was as puzzling as every woman-related issue in the tribal, patriarchal, and religious alloy of the Saudi mindset.
Women have driven in rural areas and in some compounds within cities all the time. There were no religious or legal pretexts to prevent women from driving. The opposition came from a group of religious scholars – purportedly for fear of “gender mixing” and anticipated sins – a fallacy that is obviously refuted by the fact that gender mixing is already in effect, whether women are in the back or the front seats of the cars – unless a parallel public world can be created for each sex, an idea which must occupy many scholars’ minds.
This was nothing new; religious views opposing women’s autonomy were the norms of Saudi scholars, fearing changes in the traditional gender roles. And when religious unrest contradicts official plans, the government often acts to keep the clerics in check. Examples are many, such as the beginnings of women’s education half a century ago and the opening of KAUST, the first co-educational university – which cost a known scholar his elevated position at the supreme committee of scholars.
I would like every one here to be aware of the bravery of the people in Saudi Arabia–the women and men–who are trying to bring modernity and women’s rights to what is unquestionably a misogynist society. For more information on the role of social media in this movement, see the BBC’s story here. Many Saudi women are posting videos and stories like the one above.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
shadihamid Shadi Hamid
by Dima_Khatib
Here’s list of #Saudi women who went driving today: @LailaSindi @Noarh3 @TheSaudiLady @abofeeras @Noarh3 @azizayousef @Maha1410 #Women2Drive
Brava to the Saudi Arabia ladies, they are an inspiration to us all and their young children sound so excited at the idea their new found freedom too. A Saudi prince has come out in favor of the Women2Drive campaign and many Saudi men, including husbands are speaking in favor of women driving. Go Saudi Women GO!
It is said that 40 women drove, seven less than in 1990 (The women that drove that year were arrested, lost their jobs, their husbands/family men folk questioned and were labeled ‘fallen women’. ), but the photos and videos are still coming in.
One day that ticket will be in a museum. Go Women2Drive GO!
There is an active tweet thread in support of these women two. Many of the same folks that supported the various Arab spring activities and reporters in the area are actively supporting these folks! It’s wonderful to see. We need similar acts of civil disobedience here to stop the religious extremist in our country!!! We should all be supporting planned parenthood and other organizations that support women’s rights over religious extremists!!!
Yup, you are right, I see HireHeels and many others giving the Women2Drive support for over 24 hours. I had to take a nap, but it is clear that the MENA ladies, girls (As you hear their young voices beam with pride for their moms and their sons too…just saw a video of a son teaching his mom to drive on June 17, 2011…touches the heart.)
Women2Drive GO! Arab Spring Women -MENA Women of Inspiration
We need similar, [i]massive[/i] acts of civil disobedience. We older boomers stopped a war and made significant contributions to the Civil Rights movement in the 60’s and 70’s. It just needs bodies, it needs commitment, and the willingness, possibly, to get hurt.
Women2 Drive were great today, they went out and exercised a basic Human Right! Ladies were great…
Go, Sisters!
Manal is cyber driving today! 🙂
I salute these courageous women and hope they are successful in winning more freedoms. Keeping women from driving is absolutely insane.
Shakesville has more information on this protest: http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2011/06/women2drive-part-3-women-behind-wheel.html
I finally heard about the story on CNN just moments ago. There is no law against women driving, it’s just a religious edict.
I know, but it’s the patriarchy at work and they would put us all in chains if they could… 😦
Those ladies are looking real good behind those wheels…………….they got me singing and skydancing.
Thanks for all the links. I tried to post some links on Facebook a couple hours ago and had problems (I am inside KSA). The Saudi press still has not acknowledged the event.
Waving Hello! Welcome and great job the ladies did, really a great job. 🙂
Al-Jazeera has an in-depth opinion piece with a remarkable amount of detail. http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/06/201161694746333674.html
Two things stand out. One:
Manal al-Sharif: “rain starts with a single drop”
Two:
Imagine, the women have served their sentences and still can’t get released.
We, will have to tell Wonk The Vote and Stacy about this horrific problem with the domestic workers left in Saudi Arabia and forgotten in prison. The domestic workers in prison are in a ,strong>Catch 22 and that takes someone that can cut through all the red tape and all the manufactured pink tape (placed to oppress women). Manal is a great lady, she is very inspirational and a humanitarian indeed.
Welcome, and thanks for the info! Hope to see you again.