In 1995 my family lived in Saudi Arabia.
We lived on a compound. Our children attended the school that I worked at- Saudi Arabia International School. This was not our first assignment abroad. My husband and I had met in Germany, lived in seven states and Hong Kong. I am widely traveled. Living overseas, I am well aware that I am visitor, and the customs of the area were to be adhered to. The US has customs, mostly according to region.
In Germany, if a policeman stepped in front of your car...STOP! In Hong Kong, if you went to visit the Vietnamese refugee camp floating in the bay, you needed a visa. In Saudi Arabia you wore a veil and a abaya, over your fully clothed body, if you left the compound walls to protect men from your alluring beauty. In the Southern US you said, "Yes, Mam/Sir". In the West you did not flinch when you saw someone carrying a gun on the hip.
I have one memory of this all going bad for me. In Saudi Arabia, I took a taxi (not allowed to drive) to pick up some tailoring. Being late, I jumped in the cab and off we went. As we neared the store I searched my bag for my veil (I had my abaya on). Alas, no veil. My abaya was long- so I threw it over my head (like pulling up a long overshirt with no real closing) and ran for the door front of the five shop indoor mall.
Almost to the shop, I was stopped by two men in short white robes. That is what the "holy men" (read enforcers) wear. They carry camel whips- about 5 feet long and narrow- think of a shepherd's crook without the top. "Just my luck," I thought in my teacher voice.
The first man pointed to my ankles, which were not covered. Not my legs- my ankles. I dropped my abaya down so they were covered. The other man pointed to my hair- which was now uncovered. Angry words were coming my way. I quickly drew my abaya over my head- uncovering my ankles. I then said, "It is either my hair or my ankles." I received a very sharp whip on my ankles. Ow! They escorted me to my shop and got my things and took me back to the car. There were some angry words to my driver. Poor guy, he was shaking.
Why does this come to mind now. I have had a very difficult time - emotionally- with this covering the face thing. Not because I want to spread the flu (which I do not have), but because I NEVER thought I would ever see the group of people who fought for women not to wear a bra (to protect our boobies) to become the enforcers of a rule that covers one of the most important parts of our body--our mouths!
Think about this.
Yesterday a woman was sitting in the stands with her family to watch her child play football. She was outside. She was only close to her family. She was approached and told to cover her mouth. She refused- saying she had asthma. First they violated her circle by attempting to arrest her. Then they TAZED her. Then, unmasked themselves, they took her away in cuffs. I almost threw up. The people around did not intervene- but they sounded scared. What would happen to them if they stood up for her? They were probably shaking like my taxi driver.
This is the United States of America. I know that some of you who are reading think this is a terrible country with a horrid President. "She deserved to be dragged away." I have lived/traveled in terrible countries with horrible leaders---this is not it. First and foremost we are FREE. Yes, free.
I just don't get it. How in the world did the older women get from women's lib to here in just a few short months? And no, I am not a right wing nut, I am an US citizen. What in the world are we doing to ourselves?
