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Lucelia Leen

Mr. Phillips

AP Language and Composition

14 December 2018

Destroying Cultural Gender Stigmas in Saudi Arabia, One Right at a Time

Throughout their lives, women in Saudi Arabia are treated as minors or second class

citizens. According to an article posted to the BBC, Saudi rule has implemented Guardianship

Laws that require women to be granted permission by a male figure in their life to do anything

encompassing basic activities and decision making. Beyond the Guardianship Laws, women in

Saudi Arabia face many other social injustices linked to gender inequality. One of the most basic

rights that many around the world are fortunate enough to have is driving a vehicle. Women and

Saudi Arabia have been deprived of this freedom for as long as vehicles have been present in the

country, but as of recently, that freedom has finally been granted to them. The lifting of the

driving ban in Saudi Arabia has been a pioneer in modernizing social stigmas as women begin to

attain their basic rights and liberties.

Women in Saudi Arabia lack control of their individual lives and futures, and they are

stripped of any independence that should come along with being a human, a citizen, and

especially a strong, independent woman. A blog written by the organization, Americans for

Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, best represent how women's rights are viewed in

Saudi Arabia when they stated, “Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia is mainly centered around what

they cannot do.” This statement is the epitome of Saudi society and it is the reason why there

must be change. Restrictions on women are enforced under the strict the Guardianship Laws
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(Saudi Arabia: Why weren’t women allowed to drive?). These laws assert that women cannot;

obtain a passport, travel outside of the country, get married or divorced, have their own bank

account, hold a job, and even undergo certain medical procedures, without the approval or

permission of a man (Saudi Arabia: Why). Women are also not permitted to interact with another

man in public, thus public facilities have ‘separation walls’ and divided seating, that prevent men

and women from mixing (Saudi Arabia: Why). It is almost impossible to believe that such

oppression is taking place in the modern world. During such progressive times worldwide,

especially in the women's rights movement, how could Saudi Arabia be so far behind?

Saudi Arabian society has begun to culturally transform thanks to progressive actions

enacted by the newly appointed Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, who hopes to create a

modern, accepting society. Bin Salman disregarded those of the opposition who are, “driven by

chauvinistic ultra nationalism and conservative religious sentiments” as former Saudi journalist

Hana Al-Khamri stated, and Bin Salman managed to turn over a new leaf for the Saudi

Government. The Crown Prince along with the Saudi government suggested the removal of the

driving ban placed upon women in September of 2017, according to an article written by ​The

Wall Street Journal’s ​Middle Eastern correspondent, Margherita Stancati, and news assistant,

Donna Abdulaziz. Saudi legislators then turned this suggestion into reality and declared the

official lift of the driving ban on June 24, 2018 according to an article titled, ​"Saudi Arabia lifts

decades old driving ban on women" ​posted to ​The Straits Times​ online newspaper. The repeal of

the ban was a monumental step for the women and Saudi Arabia, and it proved to be the

beginning of real societal change.

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With a full head of steam in the right direction, women began to see more and more

freedoms. In the Kingdom, any sexual harassment crimes are now viewed as criminal offenses

and are punishable with jail time and fees according to an article by Ilayda Kocak, a writer for

PBS Newshour. For those living in other current modern societies, such as the United States, it's

hard to believe that such a serious offense has only recently been recognized as a crime in Saudi

Arabia. In an article published by ​Time​, author Aryn Baker states, “[Crown Prince Mohammed

Bin Salman] has implemented a tax regime and introduced cinemas and concerts, and has

sidelined conservative religious mores that, in the words of one woman who asked not to be

named ‘sucked the joy out of living.’” Instead of continuing to live unenjoyable lives, Saudi

women are celebrating these new freedoms, that most women in other countries take for granted

as a part of everyday life. A Saudi woman, by the name Nasreenan, describes the societal

changes as if she had been born into a new world. “‘We had nothing, we had to cover our faces,

we had no chance to drive cars, no chance for freedom. But, now after MBS [Mohammed Bin

Salman] we have women driving and feminization of the workplace’” ( Baker). Many woman

never thought they would be able to see such times, but now these women are apart of Saudi

Arabian history.

However, not all view the lifting of the driving ban as a positive step towards women’s

equality, but rather perceive it as a disguised way to economically benefit the Saudi government.

Hana Al-Khamri believes that the repeal of the driving ban was,“nothing more than a PR stunt

and an economic policy” to benefit Bin Salman Vision 2030 plan. The Vision 2030 plan has

proven to serve as a significant step towards ameliorating Saudi society and economy, by

allowing women to participate in the workforce (Hvidt). On the contrary, the opposition just
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see’s the plan as an attempt for the government and the Crown Prince to gain popularity and

profit, by including women in the workforce just for their economic benefit. The opposition fails

to recognize just how equally beneficial the lifting of the driving ban is for all Saudi people, and

how women are able to look past some of the assumed government intentions and simply

embrace their liberties.

There has proven to be lasting benefits for all people in Saudi Arabia, after women were

granted the right to drive and become heavily involved in the workforce. Having women in the

workforce is necessary for the Vision 2030 plan to be successful. Most Saudi women receive

higher levels of schooling than men, which has convinced the government their involvement is

vital for reforming the country’s economy and society (Hvidt). Allowing women to drive and

increasing their influence over the workforce has boosted the country’s economy significantly,

and it has also increased productivity within the workforce, both directly and indirectly. Before

women were allowed to drive, they had to rely on a driver to transport them where they needed

to be; this often called for wealthy families to hire a driver, or for men themselves to leave work

and drive the woman somewhere, for example a doctors appointment (Hvidt). This alone

decreases the productivity of the men in the workforce because of their absence when

transporting women. Logistics can be further examined, but they will all support one consensus:

letting women drive is more practical and efficient for the economy. The repeal of the ban has to

proven to provide positive outcomes in all aspects, so regardless of what many may think the

intent of the government was women now have an additional right that they deserve.

Despite the progression thus far with women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, there are still many

civil injustices and sexist laws that must be acknowledged, then repealed. Saudi female activists
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are satisfied that their voices have been heard and are prideful because their sacrifices were

impactful. Although there have been recent, undeniable changes, we have not reached an end to

the gender equality fight. Journalists Margherita Stancati and Donna Abdulaziz quote a Saudi

female activist who continues to fight for women’s equality even with the recent rights women

have been granted. “Despite ending the female driving ban, the current political climate has

created some ambivalence among activists toward the milestone, ‘They want us to take their

reforms as gifts, without questions’ said one Saudi female activist. ‘They don’t want us to reflect

on these changes or to remember the past.’” For centuries women in Saudi Arabia have been

protesting and fighting for their rights. Female activists have never given up, and their

determination continues to hold strong, as they remember they are fighting for each other and a

history of women like themselves.

As for now, Saudi Arabia has begun it’s transition into a modern-day society, filled with

equality and justice. This modernizing country will continue to notice the public benefits

experienced by its women, as well as their developing roles in society, so long as they continue

to eliminate restrictions placed on basic human rights. The next step for Saudi Arabia is to

eradicate the traditional Guardianship Laws. These outdated sexist rules prove to be the largest

obstacle standing before Saudi society. By breaking down the wall of division between men and

women that Guardianship Laws suggest, Saudi Arabian society will reach the ultimate goal of

complete gender equality.

Works Cited

Al-Khamri, Hana. "Why did Saudi Arabia lift the driving ban on women only now?"
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Alijazeera ,​ 24 June 2018,

www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/saudi-arabia-lift-driving-ban-women-1806

21203632446.html. Accessed 4 December 2018.

Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain. "The Fight for Women's

Rights in Saudi Arabia Must Go On." ​Americans for Democracy and Human

Rights in Bahrain​, 5 July 2018,

www.adhrb.org/2018/07/the-fight-for-womens-rights-in-saudi-arabia-must-go-

on/. Accessed 6 November 2018.

Baker, Aryn. "Is the End of Saudi Arabia's Driving Ban a Rebrand or a Revolution?"

Time​, 28 June 2018,

time.com/longform/saudi-arabia-driving-ban-rebrand-or-revolution/. Accessed

5 December 2018.

Hvidt, Martin. "Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women driving because of economic

necessity, not women's rights." ​Independent​, 24 June 2018,

www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-women-driving-ban-lifted-reason-e

conomics-finance-rights-equality-a8414426.html. Accessed 4 December 2018.

Kocak, Ilayda. "As Saudi women take the wheel, activists say fight for gender equality

continues." ​PBS Newshour,​ 24 June 2018,

www.pbs.org/newshour/world/saudi-arabia-women-drive-gender-equality-fight.

Accessed 6 November 2018.

"Saudi Arabia lifts decades old driving ban on women." ​Straits Times​, 24 June 2018,

www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-women-driving-ban-ends.
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Accessed 4 December 2018.

"Saudi Arabia: Why weren't women allowed to drive?" ​BBC​, 13 Jan. 2018,

www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/41412980. Accessed 3 December 2018.

Stancati, Margherita, and Donna Abdulaziz. "Saudi Women Take the Wheel as Driving

Ban Is Lifted ." ​The Wall Street Journal [​ New York ], 23 June 2018,

www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-women-take-the-wheel-as-driving-ban-lifted-15297

95635. Accessed 4 December 2018.