This is a REALLY big deal. I was born and raised there. Glad to see some progress.
is it the first time or, like lebannon or iran, there was a time when women could drive before ?
Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
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Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
It would be surprising if someone hadn't made such a ridiculous claim. But in an article on gay marriage in the US, would the NY Times really have felt the need to observe that "one preacher even claimed - with no evidence - that homosexuality caused earthquakes"?
It depends on how much political influence that specific preacher wielded. In Saudi, clerics wield a LOT of political influence. They're not just religious advisers, they get to set and interpret law based on their understanding of the Quran and the Hadiths.
No, mainly depends on how much outrage can be mined out of it. Influence is largely the byproduct of the press attention, at least in the scales we have in the US, and the press wants to have people engaged (clicks, views, ads) and also preferably show their political opponents are crazy evil idiots. Emphasizing outrageously stupid claims by some obscure personality serves both goals - people get outraged, share the links, ad impressions follow, discussion follows, etc. etc.
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#33"Low oil prices have limited the government jobs that many Saudis have long relied on, and the kingdom is trying to push more citizens, including women, into gainful employment. But some working Saudi women say hiring private drivers to get them to and from work eats up much of their pay, diminishing the incentive to work." I'm guessing that this is the biggest driver - Saudi Arabia just cannot afford to not allow th…
The dual income household had an unbelievable impact on Western and Asian economies, buoying incredible growth.
How the KSA handles the coming social liberalization will be interesting, Chinese women still grapple with social conservative attitudes regarding working women (ie: leftover women). It is inevitable that the people of the KSA will encounter similar difficulties.
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#34> One cleric claimed — with no evidence — that driving harmed women’s ovaries. Wait. What?
I know it's oh so tempting, but please don't post unsubstantive comments to HN about stupid shit—especially not on inflammatory topics. There's no surer way to degrade an internet discussion, and we're trying for better than that here (trying and failing, no doubt, but we can always fail better).
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#35> One cleric claimed — with no evidence — that driving harmed women’s ovaries. Wait. What?
It would be surprising if someone hadn't made such a ridiculous claim. But in an article on gay marriage in the US, would the NY Times really have felt the need to observe that "one preacher even claimed - with no evidence - that homosexuality caused earthquakes"?
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=121322&page=1 ; "Falwell Suggests Gays to Blame for Attacks" [on WTC]
Pat Robertson was doing this 20 years ago, and I don't think he's really stopped: https://www.au.org/media/press-releases/tv-preacher-pat-robe...
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#36"Low oil prices have limited the government jobs that many Saudis have long relied on, and the kingdom is trying to push more citizens, including women, into gainful employment. But some working Saudi women say hiring private drivers to get them to and from work eats up much of their pay, diminishing the incentive to work." I'm guessing that this is the biggest driver - Saudi Arabia just cannot afford to not allow th…
denial of liberty is expensive.
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#37> One cleric claimed — with no evidence — that driving harmed women’s ovaries. Wait. What?
This sort of thing is not unusual in misogyny. Similar arguments were used not just against women's sports but all sorts of things in the West over the past century.
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#38This is a REALLY big deal. I was born and raised there. Glad to see some progress.
is it the first time or, like lebannon or iran, there was a time when women could drive before ?
First time in Saudi. Women were never banned from driving in Lebanon, not sure about Iran, but I don't think so
Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#39Re: Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
#40"Low oil prices have limited the government jobs that many Saudis have long relied on, and the kingdom is trying to push more citizens, including women, into gainful employment. But some working Saudi women say hiring private drivers to get them to and from work eats up much of their pay, diminishing the incentive to work." I'm guessing that this is the biggest driver - Saudi Arabia just cannot afford to not allow th…
denial of liberty is expensive.
And renewables/EVs are just getting started. It will be interesting to see what other freedoms Saudis will allow once EVs and renewables are a significant portion of the global market.