The bicycle freed 19th-century women from their homes and from their dependence on men. I hope that in Saudi Arabia, the car will do the same.
Manal Al-SharifRead
In the Saudi system, women are considered inferior. No matter our age, we have male guardians. We must get permission from men to attend school, to work, to marry, to travel overseas - even to have basic medical procedures.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the systemic oppression faced by women in Saudi Arabia, where their autonomy is severely restricted by male guardianship.
In this quote, Manal Al-Sharif speaks out against the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia that treats women as inferior and limits their rights. She emphasizes the pervasive nature of this oppression, where women need permission from men to engage in fundamental activities such as education, employment, and basic healthcare, underscoring a significant issue of gender inequality in society.
Themes
WomenGuardianshipRightsInequalityOppression
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in discussions about gender equality in educational settings.
More from Manal Al-Sharif
All quotes →In Saudi Arabia, they always tell us we are queens. We are pistachios. You know the nut? Like something that is protected. So even if you have a very good education, restraints are put on women.
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In May 2011, I drove a car in the city of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to protest the kingdom's ban on women driving.
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I love my sons, I love my husband, and I love my country. But in kingdoms of men, there are few - if any - choices for women. Or the choices are such that there is no greater pain than having to choose.
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Women's rights are nothing but a part of the bigger picture, which is human rights. Women are trusted with the lives of their kids, even serve as teachers and doctors, but they aren't trusted with their own lives.
Manal Al-SharifRead
For me, driving - or the right to drive - is not only about moving from A to B; it's a way to emancipate women. It gives them so much liberty. It makes them independent.
Manal Al-SharifRead
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