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In a recent article by Max Fisher, a writer for the Washington Post entitled, "Saudi Arabia’s oppression of women goes way beyond its ban on driving" Fisher Talks about how the root problem is that women are under Male guardianship.

Fisher states in the article that, "each Saudi woman has a "male guardian," typically their father or brother or husband, who has the same sort of legal power over her that a parent has over a child. She needs his formal permission to travel, work, go to school or get medical treatment." This is the root of what should be changed to allow women to have more rights in Saudi Arabia the way this system is works it allows women to do nothing without her guardians permission. For instance what if a women gets injured according to this article a women can not get medical attention without her guardian, but say that the guardian is in a conference and refuses to answer a call, then it seems like the women will get no treatment and could end up dying. 

Fisher also states, "It's one thing for women to depend on men to go anywhere, putting their movement under male veto power. But it's quite another when they also must have a man's approval to travel abroad, get a job or do just about anything that involves being outside of the home." To have a guardians permission to do anything that seems basic to us, seems like the women of Saudi Arabia are treated like animals with basically no rights but those they are told they can have. This type of system seems like a horrible one considering that at some time the women wont be able to contact their guardian when they really need there permission due to no phone signal or a conference or just leaving there phone at home.

Lastly Fisher explains, "women are often taught from an early age to approach the world outside their male guardian's home with fear and shame. A 1980s "educational flyer" still posted at a school in Buraydah warned against the "dangers that threaten the Muslim woman," such as listening to music, going to a mixed-gender mall or answering the telephone. It drove home that "danger" with an image of a women, in a full black burqa, being stabbed in the chest with a kitchen knife." This is more of a threat than any type of warning telling women respect all men and question nothing or you may end up being stabbed. All people who have almost had no rights in history were controlled with fear however eventually to much of fear will end up causing anger, and with that protests for rights, women in Saudi Arabia are already fighting hard for their rights now by protesting for the right to drive and the right to vote.

In my opinion I see no reason why women should have this guardian policy women have proven to be generally smarter than men, but maybe men in Saudi Arabia fear that women may eventually gain equal rights and may then treat men as the women have been treated.

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In a recent article by Ben Hubbard of The New York Times, entitled "Saudi Women Rise Up, Quietly, and Slide Into the Driver’s Seat," Hubbard talks about Saudi women attempting to drive in the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. 

In the article Hubbard interviews, Madiha al-Ajroush who says she wishes to drive to "get into my car and do something as small as get myself a cappuccino or something as grand as taking my child to the emergency room." I think its good that women are wanting to drive in Saudi Arabia and I support their right to drive with Saudi Arabia being the only country that allows women not to drive a lot of women seem to be on a tight leash. And many seem to agree in Saudi Arabia asking to let women drive and posting videos of their wives or sisters driving to support their cause.

Also Hubbard states, "The fact that the activists have been at it for so long without creating a mass movement or any change in government policy underlines the power of tradition in Saudi society and the tremendous political clout of social conservatives who fear that Westernization or anything that looks as if it will detract from the kingdom’s Islamic character" If this is true then why is Saudi Arabia Covered in fast food shops and many malls, if the people wish to keep tradition they should also flex around to let women be more equal as the men. In history we have seen many people who held on tightly to tradition, however we have also learned that those who cling to the traditions and past to tightly are doomed to stay in the past and are left behind, where the world is constantly looking to the future it may be soon that Saudi Arabia changes and looks ahead as well.

Hubbard also says that, "Despite the strong opposition, the women believe that time is on their side. They point to the huge numbers of Saudis who study and travel abroad and return with new perspectives on their culture. They also suggest that the kingdom’s youthful population and the tremendous rise of social media will over time make the country more open to change." As stated the women believe that it may not be now or very soon but they know that the ability for women to drive may just be around the corner. However with much of the leaders still clinging to the past it may not be until new leaders come to power for such a day to come.

This article can relate to me in the way that some girls are treated driving here although its generally opposite then that of Saudi Arabias power holders who think women can't drive. Here the women are statistically better drivers than men so much that their insurance is generally lower than that of men.

In summary women in Saudi Arabia women are pushing hard for some equality mostly the small abilities that we take advantage of here like driving. Although there push is also pushed back i believe that if they keep pushing for equality they will eventually get it, like the ability for women to vote in America in the 1920s the Saudi women just need to keep pushing.