The women in Saudi Arabia
are boycotting the fact that male salesman are the ones that help select their
bra styles. They are now flooding the select few women's only stores for to buy
their favorite bra styles. They feel it is an invasion of privacy. In a country
that is so
conservative that there is a strict segregation of sexes, this is an
outrage.
The strict Islamic laws have woman dressed from head-to-toe in black robes.
They can not undress with a man outside. They can not even undress in a mall
because the man is near. However, men can help women select their bras. They
are the main salespeople because a saleswoman would not be able to wait on a
man. To make matters worse, fitting rooms are banned since the women are not
allowed to change. These salesmen look the women up and down. They are trying
to help them select the proper bra size but it is very demeaning to these
women. They are not allowed to live in an integrated society but they are
allowed to be scanned for bust size and panty size measurements.
Everyday Saudi salesmen are talking to women about their bras, thongs, and even
demonstrating how to wash stains out. The salesmen are even embarrassed but
they do not want women to go home with the wrong sized bra. They have to look
and check out their customer's female figure. They also need discuss their
needs and wants with bras. They are there to help. However, this help is
intimidating and embarrassing. Most of the women have little choice. There are
very few women-only stores.
In the United States,
it is still almost unthinkable to have a male salesperson helping a female
customer with her bra and panty needs. Most women do not even like a male
picking up the phone in a lingerie store. They feel discussing lingerie with
strange men are very intrusive and invasive. The United States prides itself on
being in the forefront with equality and rights. So, imagine the unspeakable
personal violations that a conservative Saudi woman feels when shopping for
lingerie.
Saudi Arabia
is so conservative that their mannequins have to dress appropriately.
Mannequins in bra stores have to be dressed in pajamas. They are not allowed to
depict women in a sexual manner. They also have to be headless to keep with the
ban on realistic depictions of women. They are so concerned with the realistic
and sexual depictions of women, yet they allow men to talk to women about their
most intimate apparel.