Faceless Saudi Women

So what happens when a Saudi woman adds her face to facebook? You would think it is a normal thing to do. Think twice & then go ahead and read Aysha Alkusayer, a new and promising Saudi blogger who is blogging from Portland (one of my favorite US cities), account on this huge deal in a culture that forbids a woman's face and considers it a shame.

Comments

[abusinan]

I agree about Portland. I lived in both Washington state and Oregon and loved them both.

For Saudi students here in the USA, they had best beware what they do online and if they give their names out.

I have it on authority that the Saudi Cultural Mission, the organisation in charge of Saudi students here in the USA on the scholarship, indeed watches and monitors blogs, MySpace, and other online venues for Saudi students.

Students, through their postings, found to be doing things that contradict the set of rules and guidlines that are expected of Saudi students studying in the USA will be sent home. These rules are very wide and vague which means a student can be sent home for almost anything.

Good thing, Aya, you keep your blog anonymous. Before the internet it was known that the Embassy had spies who would hang out at Universities and places where Saudi students gather. They would report activities to the Cultural Mission and many Saudi students have been sent home over the years because of it.

But, as always, there is not much some wasta and or reshwa will not fix! {:>)

[MSK]

Aya-

that was my idea about the "Saudi School Picture"!!!

--MSK

[northern shewolf]

Amazingly dysfunctional that such tortuous ways have had to be devised in order for young people to connect!! Sadder than the social taboos responsible for this concept itself, is the unspoken but overall rules that seemingly forcefully apply...
One does despair about the rather joyless and shadowy future of the Saudi youth, especially at the realization that all, without nary an exception, do bow down to all censure, reasonable or not.
You have my most sincere sympathy and my prayers.

[Aysha]

Aya,

Thank you for an intellectual, and thought provoking blog. I found it today to be a cause of large referrals :)
Lucky for me!

Keep it up...

[Aya]

MSK, sorry somebody took your idea! It happens to the best of us ;)

Aysha, thanks for your kind words, you too keep up the good work and good luck with school, its around finals time isn't it?