Saudi Women Protest Lingere Shops - It's Not What You Might Think

Just when you think you know a country - - -.

Saudi Arabia's authorities seem to have been going out of their way lately, trying to make their country look like it's a land of pathologically repressed people.

Then, something like this comes up. From the headline, I thought I'd be reading about some women in Saudi Arabia who had decided to shut down the lingerie industry, or at least drive it underground.

I hadn't been aware that there were women's lingerie shops in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Women Love Lingerie: It's the Clerks They Could Do Without

The problem seems to be that clerks in Lingerie stores in the desert kingdom are men. The article explains a little of the cultural reasons for it, but the bottom line is that Saudi women like to buy fancy, colorful - you get the picture - lingerie: but they'd much rather talk to a woman about cup sizes and fit.

I see their point.

Beware Assumptions

Saudi Arabia follows customs which demand very strict dress code on the street and in public. In the privacy of your own home, well, that's neither the street nor a public place.

Repressed? Maybe: but then again, maybe not.

Related Posts:

• "House of Saud Lashes Old Woman: Another Tale from the Weird Side"
  (March 10, 2009)
• "Saudi Arabia Bans Valentine's Day - and the Color Red"
  (February 10, 2009)
• "An Egyptian Doctor, a Saudi Princess, and 1,500 lashes"
  (November 11, 2008)
• "Saudi Cleric Wants Women to Use One Eye - I'm Not Making This Up"
  (October 4, 2008)

In the news:

• "Saudi women to spurn lingerie shops over salesmen"
  The Associated Press (March 25, 2009)