Review of Saudi Women's Driving School



Because I have an interest in women's rights issue and self-determination I wanted to watch this to see how things were presented and I was not disappointed. It was eye opening on a number of levels. 
It presented a brief history of the issue of women driving in Saudi Arabia and how it went from no driving allowed to the repeal of the dreaded Guardianship. Guardianship rules set the idea that Saudi women would need permission to do certain things like drive or travel outside of the country. 
The issue of driving was both a civil rights and women's empowerment issue and in some areas was a point of civil disobedience. Several women drivers were arrested and branded as traitors. 
In time, the King overturned the No Driving Rule and allowed for women to drive and it gave rise to the largest driving school in the world. Over 700 female instructors were on staff to teach women from all over Saudi Arabia. 
Some notable points:
- The cities are fully modern and most signs are split between English and Arabic.  Most businesses are also split between English and Arabic such as Cafe's. In the malls, there was a Victoria's Secret. 
- Many of the women interviewed driver for Uber and make a decent living. They encountered some men who would refuse to get in the car or where surprised by a women driver. The women would often, at least on camera, engage the men in " what do you think "  questions and it seemed bold and ballsy of the meek, oppressed women to be that bold. 
- The Saudi culture is very mixed with women in full Hajib with just their eyes showing walking in the mall with women just wearing a head scarf with makeup. 
- The driving allowance has giving rise to Saudi women racing cars! That was pretty impressive to see the women, on the race track, in driving gear next to men, laughing and joking, putting their helmets on over their headscarves and getting into their tack cars. 

The down side of all this is the quote from one women celebrating the repeal of the ban on driving. She said We can drive, what else is there?  The edicts and allowances flow from the king, the supreme monarch in Saudi Arabia.  This is why disobedience to the king is considered Treason and not just a breaking of the law.  The permissions and allowances to the women flow from the good graces, attitudes and thoughts of the king and the patriarchy.   That can be rescinded, look at Iran in 1979. 
Until a government, any government acknowledges what the US has, that rights do NOT flow from the government to the people but are in alienable to the the person then the ability and freedoms can be taken away. They are not rights, but privileges flowing from the kng. 

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