Why women shouldn't drive by Saudi sheikh.

[grimbletart]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2436607/Women-shouldnt-drive-damages-ovaries-pelvis-warns-Saudi-sheikh.html

Sorry it's the Daily Hate but this is so hilarious/pathetic I had to post it.

If you don't want to click on the Daily Hate, the extract below will give you his salient message.

"He (Sheikh Salah al-Luhaydan) told Saudi news website sabq.org: '[Driving] could have a reverse physiological impact.

'Physiological science and functional medicine studied this side [and found] that it automatically affects ovaries and rolls up the pelvis.

'This is why we find for women who continuously drive cars their children are born with clinical disorders of varying degrees."

Do you think his clinical disorder i.e. being terminally stupid was caused because his Mum found a way to drive when she was pregnant and rolled up her pelvis?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Bloody norah, what an idiot.

But how tragic that he wields real power over the women in Saudi.

I'd like to give his gonads a good twist, and not in an enjoyable way.

Isn't it funny how he discounts the rest of the civilised world in his 'scientific' findings?

Don't they just like to believe what suits them!

I sometimes find it hard to believe that men are still allowed to behave like this in some cultures. I forget that they are very different from us and that women there are still treated like possessions. It's like The Handmaids Tale is alive and well.

I'd like to see him come and tell me I can't drive my lovely car.

Depressing, not funny.
I've been to Saudi Arabia and it aint funny at all.

I wonder if he's also concerned about the theory of lower sperm counts amongst men with driving jobs?

Also, and I've only skimmed the article, does this mean SA women are not allowed to be passengers either, or sit at dining tables, or travel on planes. What is especially damaging about the driver's seat?

If we didn't know better we might think he had a problem with women's liberation .

arguments like that were used by the Victorians against women being educated, or voting, or playing sport.

I don't think the evidence actually bears them out...

So women can drive once they've been through the menopause, I assume?

My husband would a ppear to be a Saudi sheik. Now I have uncovered his disguise I can make the tight-fisted barsteward pay his way!

I like the way the DM article ends by highlighting an occasion where a woman driving in SA ended up with loads of people dead. Seems to sort of tack a sense of maybe they have a point on the end. Suppose as the DM, no matter what the subject, they have to get a dig about women in there somewhere.

A man using scientific psycho-babble to say driving effects the ovaries!

I don't need scientific psycho-babble to asset that driving does indeed effect the male gonads. Or is it the other way around? Isn't it testosterone that makes men drive their cars at silly speeds? or is it their stupidity that means they cause more accidents?

YY generally young men are more inclined to indulge in "risky" behaviour than women. Although writing that I wonder what type of behaviours are considered "risky"? I guess they're looking at risk of death / serious injury which men certainly do more, but young women aren't exactly averse to other types of behaviour that carries risk, just with less measurable consequences. Could be one of these things where the idea of what is "risky" is couched in terms which means that things women and girls do, don't get counted.

Hmmm.

I would imagine the the sheik would argue that the very things that mean men must be the only ones who are allowed to drive, also means that doing any type of cleaning type jobs would be detrimental to their health. While I expect sitting (!) quietly at home has a positive effect on the state of health of women.

At least he has the excuse of living in a country where - how shall we say - an understanding of equality and human rights is not high. What excuse do the morons in the US have with their 'forced rape can't lead to pregnancy' pseudo-scientific bullshit?

On the other hand, the report he is quoting from is jam-packed with comedy howlers:

The report warned that allowing women to drive would ‘provoke a surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce’. Within ten years of the ban being lifted, the report’s authors claimed, there would be ‘no more virgins’ in the Islamic kingdom.

Homosexuality as presumably men and women would no longer be able to distinguish between the sexes if both could drive? If only there were other visual, biological or cultural clues to assist in this area.

tribpot It is not about "the excuse of living in a country where - how shall we say - an understanding of equality and human rights is not high."

It is about the position/influence of the people in the society and the reaction to the statements like that. Don't know about you but i would take the US any time over Saudi...

trib religious fundamentalists don't seem to differ in their basic views wherever they live! I agree though that I would have hoped that in the US they wouldn't get voted into power

Also, and I've only skimmed the article, does this mean SA women are not allowed to be passengers either, or sit at dining tables, or travel on planes. What is especially damaging about the driver's seat?

Please don't give them ideas.

Homosexuality as presumably men and women would no longer be able to distinguish between the sexes if both could drive?

I believe (is certainly true of some Arabic teaching) homosexuality only exists for........... not sure there is a delicate way to put this, but for men, if you are on the receiving end you are gay, other wise you are not.

No idea for women

Some of the comments show a bad attitude about women drivers is alive and well in the UK too :(

Depressing reading.

The report warned that allowing women to drive would ‘provoke a surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce’. Within ten years of the ban being lifted, the report’s authors claimed, there would be ‘no more virgins’ in the Islamic kingdom.

That's because if women can drive, you never know where they'll choose to drive to - and what they may get up to when they arrive. The only way to stop those unsteady females from getting engaged in all sorts of undesirable goings-on is to keep them under a protective male eye at all times.

Very brave woman talking about her experience leading the Women2Drive campaign.