This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
On a recent visit to a Riyadh mall, Mashael al-Jaloud, a 33-year-old human resources specialist, made headlines by walking through the crowded shopping center without wearing the traditional abaya.
Her bold move sparked gasps and whispers among the crowd, with some mistaking her for a celebrity. When asked if she was famous, Jaloud laughed and replied that she was just a normal Saudi woman.
However, Jaloud's decision to abandon the abaya is not an isolated incident. In recent months, a handful of women have followed suit, including Manahel al-Otaibi, a 25-year-old activist who has been living in Riyadh without an abaya for four months.
"I just want to live the way I want, freely and without restrictions," Otaibi said, walking along Tahlia Street in casual overalls. "No one should force me to wear something I don't want."
"For four months I have been living in Riyadh without an abaya," said Otaibi, walking along Tahlia Street, a restaurant-lined thoroughfare, in casual overalls. "I just want to live the way I want, freely and without restrictions. No one should force me to wear something I don't want." Despite the risks, Jaloud remains defiant, arguing that the abaya is not linked to religion. "If it was, Saudi women wouldn't take them off when they go outside the kingdom," she said. However, Jaloud's decision to abandon the abaya has not been without consequences. She has faced hostility and threats from some members of the community, including a fully veiled woman who threatened to call the police at a Riyadh supermarket. Despite these challenges, Jaloud's actions reflect a growing desire for social liberties among young Saudis. As part of the liberalisation drive, the kingdom has invited international musicians to perform, including rapper Nicki Minaj, who was known for her skin-baring music videos. However, Minaj eventually cancelled her visit, citing the kingdom's poor human rights record. The incident highlights the tussle between a mostly young population clamouring for greater freedoms and hardliners alarmed by the pace of reforms they see as un-Islamic.
