Saudi Women

Saudi women are only marginally better off (at least they aren't impoverished or without food and medical care) than Afghan women are and yet we happily welcome members of the Saudi royal family to the U.S. without saying a word about it. The women of Saudi Arabia belong to the men in their family, body and soul. They must stay veiled. They cannot read or write about what they choose. They cannot travel without permission from the men in their family. Their marriages are arranged and often against their will. They can still be stoned to death. Some Saudi women are still circumcised. Girls as young as 13 are given over as brides to men old enough to be their grandfathers and who already own many other wives. The practice of any religion other than Islam in Saudi Arabia is totally disallowed.

If you are interested in learning more about what it is like to live as a woman in modern Saudi Arabia, you might start with this book. And here is an interesting FAQ compiled on Saudi Arabia since 9/11.