This really seems like a discussion for us. When I lived in Houston, I

[efhmc]

had several females friends who would not go to live with their oil husbands in SA because of their inability to wear what they wanted, drink, drive, etc. outside the American "getto" compounds. What say you sisters? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1810095

[geniph]

1. Tell you what's even worse than that

When I worked for Boeing, there were groups of men offered lucrative assignments working in Saudi - and women, of course, could not be offered those assignments - which had one whole hell of a lot of pay incentives attached - because women couldn't be put in a position where the SA men might have to be confronted with the idea of women having, like, real jobs.

Used to piss me off something fierce.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. Women in the military during Desert Storm

Served in units in Saudi Arabia. They were forced to abide by all the repressive customs and could subjected to harsh Sharia punishments if they were found in violation. From what I hear, it was not a good place to be an American servicewoman. And our troops were (supposedly) over there to protect THEIR sorry asses from Saddam's aggression.

[efhmc]

4. So what are the rules about equal pay if the company is based in the

US but the work is in other discriminating countries. Do the same rules apply if one discriminates against African American males (and females)? Seem to me that that is still discrimination no matter where it occurs and that the company is complicit in this practice. The company should offer the jobs to all employees or none. (I know I am an old feminist living in a dream world.)

[MountainLaurel]

3. Big to-do in VA recently

About a summer course held at Virginia Tech for workers from Saudi Arabia. The university held segregated class sessions for the attendees despite the fact that it has an anti-discrimination policy and is a public university.

[efhmc]

5. So did anything happen? Why is this okay????

[MountainLaurel]

6. Nothing

Complaints were filed, but nothing came of them: The class was finished before the school could move on them. But apparently the issue did come up in Karen Hughes' recent discussion in Saudi Arabia. Here are some articles on the issue:


http://www.boston.com/news/globe/education/articles/2005/08/14/gender_segregated_classes_spark_complaint/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4804416

[ismnotwasm]

7. I'm making a very slow project

Of reading this on-line translation of the Koran. I'm trying to understand where the actual laws are, and how relevant they are to the modern Muslim woman. So, far they seems to to me to be quite of bit a flexibility in the wording, but taken literally, they don't seem to be very healthy for much of the Muslim culture. It's a little too deep for me, so I think I need to take a class.
I've met foreign Muslims who are very independent,devout women,(No hair covering etc) but they tended to be from countries like Ethiopia, where Islam is not the dominant religion, and certainly doesn't run the government. So I don't know. (On the other hand, I find some of the traditional female dress very beautiful, but that's not the point, is it?)
I have learned that in health care, where it is the preference for Muslim women to have female caregivers, the same holds true for males, their preference is for male caregivers.
I wouldn't want to go to any country where I was considered a second class citizen to that extent. It's bad enough here, although I count my blessings, and thank the feminists that came before me for the freedom I have today.