Quick Hit: Saudi Arabia will lift ban on women drivers
Because of Saudi women's activism, the ban on women driving cars will be lifted at the end of the year. Women's rights organizer Fouzia al-Ayouni has said, "We have broken the barrier of fear."
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Awesome! I have tremendous respect for women like al-Ayouni. So many rights still to be won of course - but this is great news!
good news in a sea of bad.
Well done to those activists for their sustained work.
that's great news! i salute al-Ayouni and activists like her. it's nice to see results.
Wow! I have to admit, I was a bit pessimistic when I heard about the campaign - just because of other dismal news out of Saudi Arabia - but this is amazing. Hoepfully a sign of more things to come.
There is something about this story -- and I can't quite put my finger on it -- that makes my eyes a bit glassy and moist. It has something to do with the fact that I can't think of a single thing I could do that would be so amazingly and righteously subversive as the simple act of these women driving through town. My hat's off to them and their courage.
My favorite sentence in the article is "Critics believe allowing women to drive would be the first step towards a gradual erosion of the kingdom's modesty laws." Here's hopin'.
That really is an incredible first step, to think what would have happened to these women justa few years ago for even thinking about it! It's awesome
This is wonderful - in the sea of bad news and regressionist policies towards women we're used to hearing about, every step forward counts.
Can I say I'm floored/stunned by this decision? I was blatantly pessimistic about this when this was announced a while back, and the fact that it has (to an extent) worked is pretty incredible. It's a very small step, especially given the "male escort" laws that mean that even if a woman can drive, she must be accompanied by a male relative or husband, but still, it's a step.
I love good news!
VROOOM! :D
BTW, speaking of women driving automobiles in Muslim-majority nations, check this out: http://www.aljadid.com/film/WomenandtheRoadintheMiddleEast.html
Alleluia. I am so happy about this.
Good for Saudi women, to understate it completely. I hope this is a step toward much bigger things.
Oh! This is so what I had to read after reading news about anti-choicers brainwashing teenagers. Plus, there have been some other nuggets of good news too, like that anti-sexist car commercial, reproductive justice and Blog for Choice day.
I never thought I'd see this.
Congratulations to the Saudis.