http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=84580&d=30&m=6&y=2006
Friday, 30, June, 2006 (04, Jumada al-Thani, 1427)
Where Are the Guardians of Conservatism?
Lubna Hussain, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I went shopping with a friend of mine the other day. We
landed up in the lingerie section of a famous department store and as we were
there anyway, I decided to buy a few things myself. I was looking through the
racks with a few undergarments in my hand when I felt a presence behind me.
After having felt the weight of someone's gaze upon me for a while I turned
around to glance quickly and there stood a sales assistant grinning in my
direction. I immediately immersed myself in the pursuit of finding the correct
size highly embarrassed by the fact that I was being scrutinized.
When I emerged with a whole host of mismatched items hoping
that the guy would have vamoosed by then, there he was looming larger than life
with some small hangers attached to an assortment of satin and silk creations
in his hand.
"What size are you looking for?" he asked earnestly trying to
help. I stared at him blankly. Did he really expect me to confess the intimate
details of something so personal to him? Was I about to reveal to a perfect
stranger whom I had never seen in my life a fact that I would never disclose to
any man? He misinterpreted my silence as the inability to decide and
volunteered his services to start a guessing game.
"Maybe," he began with definite authority (the gentleman had
obviously been doomed to working in the same section for a long time hence his
air of omniscience), "you would be this size?" He held up a black lace
undergarment as I cringed inwardly and scanned the vicinity for anyone I knew.
"This is very nice material," he proffered in much the same way a proficient
car salesman would promote the superiority of Japanese technology. "Isn't it
hot these days?" he began to banter in the most ludicrous manner as I planned
my escape.
"Maybe you would prefer something in cotton?" he asked deftly
switching the black with a floral green printed number.
"I am fine thank you," I managed to muster up.
He then stared at what I had accumulated and smiled.
"You know you can find the matching items to those?" he said
bending over and sifting through the lower sections picking out the aforesaid
with particular flourish.
"Shall I take them to the counter for you?" he grinned, hand
eagerly extended in my direction. I felt too embarrassed to dispute his request
and sheepishly walked over to the cashier in tow.
There is something borderline pornographic about having a
strange man tell you what size you are and then watch as he riffles through
your most personal effects searching for a bar code. I stood around feeling
violated and really quite sick wondering what thoughts must be going through
his head as he processed my purchase.
I have similar issues, albeit nowhere near as pronounced,
when I have to buy clothes and cosmetics. When women shop, they require the
input of other women, not of a bunch of vague men who don't even use these
products and stand around expounding on the virtues of this creamy new lipstick
or waxing lyrical about the qualities of a certain type of lash lengthening
mascara.
I just fail to understand how it is that such a scenario can
be justified in a country as conservative as ours. It defies all logic to
declare that a woman is not allowed to work in an environment geared toward
other women. What would be deemed more controversial: Having women selling to
other women or thrusting women into the highly embarrassing position of seeking
the assistance of men when making their most private purchases?
In a society where more than half of all graduates are women,
there is a potential goldmine of Saudi female employees who can do the job very
well. What's more is that I don't understand why it is that in the retail
industry it is forbidden for women to serve alongside men within their own
enclosed sections when in other sectors such as hospitals, banking and the
media they are allowed to.
If those opposed to such a move toward greater employment
integration cite mixing as being a problem then I would like to ask such
individuals that if it came to their wives, daughters and mothers having to buy
underwear would they not prefer them to be in contact with a woman over such
matters than a strange man? Is it not more offensive for a woman to be
subjected to this kind of discomfort and humiliation because of such spurious
laws?
There really needs to be a lot more done to encourage women's
participation in retailing and opening up employment opportunities for them in
this sector. I know that there have been new laws introduced to remedy the
situation but as yet, I have not seen them implemented. It really is pathetic
that being from Saudi Arabia I am expected to travel to Europe or America to
buy my lingerie from other women.
* * *
(Lubna Hussain is a Saudi writer. She is based in Riyadh.)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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