At last, Saudi Arabia recently decided that women can vote and participate in municipal elections in keeping with a royal decree from 2011. While many are celebrating this "huge" step forward in equality, others (myself included) are concerned that this will be a mere publicity stunt that actually does nothing to free women from an oppressive society where they cannot even drive. Yes, it is a step forward, not backward, and yes the decision is a good one. However, there is still a long way to go for the rights of women in Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia interprets Sunni Islam very strictly, which affects not only religious but social, legal, and political life, as well. Because of this, many of the rights that Western women take for granted are nonexistent to those in Saudi Arabia. For example, women in Saudi Arabia (a country that the U.S. considers an ally) cannot leave their homes without a male chaperone or drive a car. Most public buildings have separate entrances for men and women. Even amusement parks have gender-specific sections. Hopefully over time, men and women with more egalitarian views will be elected and will seek to integrate Saudi society. This will be a long process that will take dedication. Comparatively speaking, American women have had the right to vote for nearly a century, yet even still, there are many obstacles we need to overcome. We are still one of the few Western countries that has yet to have a female head of state.
When the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud decreed in 2011 that women would be able to vote and participate in elections, many wondered why the decree needed four years of prep time. Many also continue to wonder if the people voted into office in December will be mere figureheads meant to please the West while those with real power (and Y chromosomes) continue to be appointed by the King.
In any case, we should celebrate with our Saudi sisters that even the smallest step has been taken toward their social liberation while recognizing that the road ahead is long, hard, and full of obstacles. Let us not turn celebrating this step into a blind eye and wish them all the best.
Sources:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150826-...
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/22/opinions/tucker-saud...
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/21/world/saudi-arabia-w...
http://www.theweek.co.uk/60339/eleven-things-women...
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/saudi-women-...
