Tuesday, May 23, 2006

No Exercise For Saudi Women

It's hard to tell just from looking, but in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, about two-thirds of women are overweight beneath their abbayas.

Although there are no official laws against women exercising outside of their homes, many clerics and scholars argue against it, which makes it extremely difficult for women to power walk in public, or attend exercise classes.

In Riyadh, hotel gyms and swimming pools do not allow women, and the city's walking trails are patrolled by muttawa, who harass women who dare to walk or jog in public.

Rana al-Abdullah said that one of the muttawa forced her back into her car, and she now walks only in the city's malls.

The argument against women is preposterous. At an clinic that specializes in treating obesity-related diseases, one can find a booklet written by Muhammad as-Habdan, which warns that if schools allowed girls to have a P.E. class, they would have to change into workout clothing... And everyone knows that girls should not disrobe outside of their homes. Changing in a locker room would cause females to lose the shyness that is the hallmark of good morals.

But wait, it gets better...

It goes on to proclaim that girls might become attracted to each other after seeing their classmates in leotards or tight tops.

So now a woman's body is so evil that it forces even other women to become homosexuals against their will?

AARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

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