On Sunday, women in Saudi Arabia will be legally permitted to drive vehicles for the first time ever.
I know that this sounds totally crazy, but this is a perfect example of how repressive this regime has been…
Saudi women are in the driver’s seat for the first time in their country and steering their way through busy city streets just minutes after the world’s last remaining ban on women driving was lifted on Sunday.
It’s a euphoric and historic moment for women who have had to rely on their husbands, fathers, brothers and drivers to run basic errands, get to work, visit friends or even drop kids off at school. The ban had relegated women to the backseat, restricting when and how they move around.
But after midnight Sunday, Saudi women finally joined women around the world in being able to get behind the wheel of a car and simply drive.
The people of Saudi Arabia still don’t have freedom of speech, freedom of religion or most other basic human freedoms, but at least this is a small step in the right direction.