"It offers young men very little in the way of entertainment, with no movie theaters and few sports facilities. If they are unmarried, they cannot even enter the malls where women shop."

I can't believe the attitude of that last comment in this clip. With two or three words, a man can get what he wants from a woman?? Women are not rational??

"When a man joined her at the table — someone they assumed was her husband — she removed her face veil, which fueled Enad and Nader’s hostility. They continued to make mocking hand gestures and comments until the couple changed tables. Even then, the woman was so flustered she held the cloth self-consciously over her face throughout her meal.
“Thank God our women are at home,” Enad said."

Ok, I can't imagine a world in which women are required to stay at home all the time. Let's reverse the situation. Suppose MEN were required to stay in the home and all I had to look at were women in the workplace, in the shopping malls, etc. (cont)

What a dismal world that would be! Do men really prefer to be with men that much more than women? I would MUCH rather go to a co-ed gym than a women's only gym.

Normal for them is not normal for us. But does that make it wrong? or just different?

@debbyski
I'm not required to stay home. My dad actually wants me to go out more. My dad is quite conservative too, religion wise (no long beard though). He doesn't watch TV or listen to music. That's his choice though, he never tried to force it on me. I work in an all-female environment. Still my choice. Hijab (my choice) is too much of a hassle and I find cute guys to be too much of a distraction (check out Gerard Butler). I am your typical Saudi woman (with pepper spray and anger issues, still normal though)

@Sheroug:
Do you think the article by the Times was a misrepresentation then? Are women encouraged to go out freely in Saudi society without a male figure present? I think this article probably speaks more to the conservatives as you stated but it's still worth speaking out about don't you think?
@Skwirl:
Yes, cultures are different, but sexism can be universal.

With a society that is hostially interpreted, I believe balance would do wonders. Why is it worth mentioning the extremists and stating that they are "the typical Saudi individual", but not the normal folk?
These are the articles that the people are reading, and with it they stereotype. I don't appreciate being viewed as suppressed because they're only getting "some" of the facts.

Well honey,
I believe it is always well worth mentioning the extremists just to root out bad behavior, but your point is well taken as some individuals will always stereotype.

Although there is nothing wrong with mentioning the extremes but the purpose doesn't serve if the other side of the coin is hardly mentioned. There is no media in the world who would like to project the good side of the story because it doesn't sell.

The problem arises when we as a reader don't get to do our part in investigating the whole picture, so we end up with one sided, continuous notions.

Good clip, excellent discussion!

Sheroug,
Are Saudi women allowed to drive in your country?

Nope.

Man, the whole subject sucks. People were born to be free. To make their own choices. To grow and contribute to human kind. This kinda crap gets me really pissed off. My ol' lady get's pissed off. We have a lot of wrong stuff goin' on in this country now but we still have time to change it. They don't stand a chance as long as we keep lining the Saudi Puppet Masters pockets with petrol bucks. If it weren't for that very reason they would be all alone in the desert.