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M Obama sparks backlash for not covering head in Saudi Arabia
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Michelle Obama forgoes a headscarf and sparks a backlash in Saudi Arabia
Barack Obama was in Riyadh on Tuesday to pay his respects to the late Saudi King Abdullah. His visit, for which he cut short a much-hyped trip to India, underscores how important the U.S.-Saudi relationship remains to the American leadership. On social media, however, much of the attention has focused on something else: His wife's attire.
As noted by the Associated Press, Michelle Obama did not wear a headscarf or veil Tuesday. In Saudi Arabia, that's unusual: The country is one of the few on Earth where women are expected to cover their heads, and most Saudi women wear niqabs.
Exceptions are made for foreigners, however, and Michelle – who did wear loose clothing that fully covered her arms – appears to have been one of them. In photographs from the official events, other foreign female guests are also shown not wearing headscarves.
More than 1,500 tweets using the hashtag #ميشيل_أوباما_سفو ± (roughly, #Michelle_Obama_unveiled) were sent Tuesday, many of which criticized the first lady. Some users pointed out that on a recent trip to Indonesia, Michelle had worn a headscarf. Why not in Saudi Arabia?
The response wasn't entirely negative – Ahram Online notes that some Twitter users said Michelle shouldn't be criticized too much, it being a short, impromptu trip and all. Saudi state television did show images of Michelle and her uncovered head, despite some claims that they had digitally obscured her (a widely circulated video with the first lady entirely blurred seems to have been an amateur production).
Still, the Obamas' trip to Saudi Arabia comes at a time of remarkable international criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record, prompted largely by the flogging of blogger Raif Badawi for insulting Islam. The trip was apparently designed to be apolitical – Obama has said he was "unlikely" to discuss Badawi's case with the new Saudi king.
But in Saudi Arabia, the simple act of not covering your head can be political, intentionally or not.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...-saudi-arabia/
Barack Obama was in Riyadh on Tuesday to pay his respects to the late Saudi King Abdullah. His visit, for which he cut short a much-hyped trip to India, underscores how important the U.S.-Saudi relationship remains to the American leadership. On social media, however, much of the attention has focused on something else: His wife's attire.
As noted by the Associated Press, Michelle Obama did not wear a headscarf or veil Tuesday. In Saudi Arabia, that's unusual: The country is one of the few on Earth where women are expected to cover their heads, and most Saudi women wear niqabs.
Exceptions are made for foreigners, however, and Michelle – who did wear loose clothing that fully covered her arms – appears to have been one of them. In photographs from the official events, other foreign female guests are also shown not wearing headscarves.
More than 1,500 tweets using the hashtag #ميشيل_أوباما_سفو ± (roughly, #Michelle_Obama_unveiled) were sent Tuesday, many of which criticized the first lady. Some users pointed out that on a recent trip to Indonesia, Michelle had worn a headscarf. Why not in Saudi Arabia?
The response wasn't entirely negative – Ahram Online notes that some Twitter users said Michelle shouldn't be criticized too much, it being a short, impromptu trip and all. Saudi state television did show images of Michelle and her uncovered head, despite some claims that they had digitally obscured her (a widely circulated video with the first lady entirely blurred seems to have been an amateur production).
Still, the Obamas' trip to Saudi Arabia comes at a time of remarkable international criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record, prompted largely by the flogging of blogger Raif Badawi for insulting Islam. The trip was apparently designed to be apolitical – Obama has said he was "unlikely" to discuss Badawi's case with the new Saudi king.
But in Saudi Arabia, the simple act of not covering your head can be political, intentionally or not.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...-saudi-arabia/
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#2
bad girl.
saudi been feeding the USA oil, yet she don't have a tad bit of respect...
1000 lashes
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saudi been feeding the USA oil, yet she don't have a tad bit of respect...
1000 lashes
Posted from TSR Mobile
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#3
People have varying religious and cultural customs and being mindful of that when traveling can only be a good thing. But mindful isn't the same as strict adherence to their way of doing things. You wouldn't be expected to pray to their God when travelling to a country which is of some religion, and I don't see why you'd need to wear their clothes too. I mean, if a country is really funny about modesty then fair enough, it's a bad idea to run around naked. And you know, I doubt they'd dress in Western garb when they visit the west. I'd say it's pretty much expected that foreigners will stick to wearing their own clothes for short journeys.
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#4
The backlash should be about the fact that she and her husband, the leader of the free world, are paying their respects to the tyrannical leader of a medieval ****hole because of the oil. Its despicable.
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#5
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(Original post by missfats)
bad girl.
saudi been feeding the USA oil, yet she don't have a tad bit of respect...
1000 lashes
Posted from TSR Mobile
bad girl.
saudi been feeding the USA oil, yet she don't have a tad bit of respect...
1000 lashes
Posted from TSR Mobile
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(Original post by Wahrheit)
People have varying religious and cultural customs and being mindful of that when traveling can only be a good thing. But mindful isn't the same as strict adherence to their way of doing things. You wouldn't be expected to pray to their God when travelling to a country which is of some religion, and I don't see why you'd need to wear their clothes too. I mean, if a country is really funny about modesty then fair enough, it's a bad idea to run around naked. And you know, I doubt they'd dress in Western garb when they visit the west. I'd say it's pretty much expected that foreigners will stick to wearing their own clothes for short journeys.
People have varying religious and cultural customs and being mindful of that when traveling can only be a good thing. But mindful isn't the same as strict adherence to their way of doing things. You wouldn't be expected to pray to their God when travelling to a country which is of some religion, and I don't see why you'd need to wear their clothes too. I mean, if a country is really funny about modesty then fair enough, it's a bad idea to run around naked. And you know, I doubt they'd dress in Western garb when they visit the west. I'd say it's pretty much expected that foreigners will stick to wearing their own clothes for short journeys.
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(Original post by Wade-)
Well she's a Christian so why should she have covered her head?
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Well she's a Christian so why should she have covered her head?
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#9
Really, there are far bigger problems than a woman not covering her hair in the world. This stems from some fairly misogynistic ideas and when there are people dying and wars being fought, the fact that she hasn't abided by a sexist rule is really not important.
It honestly makes me weep for humanity when people are more shocked about what a woman wears than the destruction of our planet and the violence the US and co have caused, not less the violence religion often causes.
It honestly makes me weep for humanity when people are more shocked about what a woman wears than the destruction of our planet and the violence the US and co have caused, not less the violence religion often causes.
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#10
I find it interesting that Obama went to pay his respects to the late leader of a country full of human rights abuses and at the same time, condemning other country's leaders for... human rights abuses. *cough*oil*cough*
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#11
ay those pesky savage Russians with their human rights abuses
ay Saudis do I kiss your feet when i bow?
ay Saudis do I kiss your feet when i bow?
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#12
Foreign, non-Muslim women aren't obliged to wear head scarfs, although if they're staying in the country for an extended period of time, they probably should.
I think Michelle Obama had every right not to cover her head in that situation. She dressed conservatively, so it's not as if she was being disrespectful. The fact that none of the men said anything to her or Barack Obama shows they obviously respect the U.S. President's authority enough not to create an issue. The West needs Saudi, but clearly Saudi needs the West in one way or another. That's politics.
I think Michelle Obama had every right not to cover her head in that situation. She dressed conservatively, so it's not as if she was being disrespectful. The fact that none of the men said anything to her or Barack Obama shows they obviously respect the U.S. President's authority enough not to create an issue. The West needs Saudi, but clearly Saudi needs the West in one way or another. That's politics.
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#13
(Original post by clh_hilary)
Because we cannot disrespect islam.
Because we cannot disrespect islam.
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#14
(Original post by Reluire)
Foreign, non-Muslim women aren't obliged to wear head scarfs, although if they're staying in the country for an extended period of time, they probably should.
I think Michelle Obama had every right not to cover her head in that situation. She dressed conservatively, so it's not as if she was being disrespectful. The fact that none of the men said anything to her or Barack Obama shows they obviously respect the U.S. President's authority enough not to create an issue. The West needs Saudi, but clearly Saudi needs the West in one way or another. That's politics.
Foreign, non-Muslim women aren't obliged to wear head scarfs, although if they're staying in the country for an extended period of time, they probably should.
I think Michelle Obama had every right not to cover her head in that situation. She dressed conservatively, so it's not as if she was being disrespectful. The fact that none of the men said anything to her or Barack Obama shows they obviously respect the U.S. President's authority enough not to create an issue. The West needs Saudi, but clearly Saudi needs the West in one way or another. That's politics.
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#16
(Original post by tengentoppa)
The backlash should be about the fact that she and her husband, the leader of the free world, are paying their respects to the tyrannical leader of a medieval ****hole because of the oil. Its despicable.
The backlash should be about the fact that she and her husband, the leader of the free world, are paying their respects to the tyrannical leader of a medieval ****hole because of the oil. Its despicable.
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#17
(Original post by Wahrheit)
In the grand scheme of things, we really don't need Saudi anything like as much as they need us. They have sand and oil, the US has everything else and marginally less oil. They don't buy Saudi cars, Saudi smartphones, Saudi televisions, they buy western (+easy Asian to be fair) smartphones, cars, televisions. Agriculture is pretty weak in desert climate too.
In the grand scheme of things, we really don't need Saudi anything like as much as they need us. They have sand and oil, the US has everything else and marginally less oil. They don't buy Saudi cars, Saudi smartphones, Saudi televisions, they buy western (+easy Asian to be fair) smartphones, cars, televisions. Agriculture is pretty weak in desert climate too.
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#18
(Original post by Wahrheit)
In the grand scheme of things, we really don't need Saudi anything like as much as they need us. They have sand and oil, the US has everything else and marginally less oil. They don't buy Saudi cars, Saudi smartphones, Saudi televisions, they buy western (+easy Asian to be fair) smartphones, cars, televisions. Agriculture is pretty weak in desert climate too.
In the grand scheme of things, we really don't need Saudi anything like as much as they need us. They have sand and oil, the US has everything else and marginally less oil. They don't buy Saudi cars, Saudi smartphones, Saudi televisions, they buy western (+easy Asian to be fair) smartphones, cars, televisions. Agriculture is pretty weak in desert climate too.
Which begs the question. Will this political mishap make the price of oil for America go up, it's quite possible. There is nothing America can give them that many other countries can't, and those countries haven't disrespected their King AT HIS FUNERAL............. but then why should Michelle Obama care about that........... it only affects the little people when oil prices go up.
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#19
(Original post by JohnCrichton89)
Yes we do, all of these things you mentioned stop without oil. Fair enough you would still get oil without Saudi Arabia, but everything would be much more expensive.
Which begs the question. Will this political mishap make the price of oil for America go up, it's quite possible. There is nothing America can give them that many other countries can't, and those countries haven't disrespected their King AT HIS FUNERAL............. but then why should Michelle Obama care about that........... it only affects the little people when oil prices go up.
Yes we do, all of these things you mentioned stop without oil. Fair enough you would still get oil without Saudi Arabia, but everything would be much more expensive.
Which begs the question. Will this political mishap make the price of oil for America go up, it's quite possible. There is nothing America can give them that many other countries can't, and those countries haven't disrespected their King AT HIS FUNERAL............. but then why should Michelle Obama care about that........... it only affects the little people when oil prices go up.
(Original post by Reluire)
Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of oil in the world though, so it clearly has its benefits for the West. It's only for the oil that we keep up such good diplomatic relations with them. If we didn't need their oil, we'd never have shown so much interest in King Abdullah's death. Essentially they provide oil to us at the best price.
Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of oil in the world though, so it clearly has its benefits for the West. It's only for the oil that we keep up such good diplomatic relations with them. If we didn't need their oil, we'd never have shown so much interest in King Abdullah's death. Essentially they provide oil to us at the best price.
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#20
Good for her. The real problem is that the expectation was there, not that she didn't.
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