Saudi society is witnessing sweeping cultural, social, economic and political changes. On the one hand, members of society have become more open-minded, while on the other, the Kingdom's demographic characteristics are changing. Some practices and issues used to be taboo for religious reasons and, therefore, were treated carefully. If you tried to touch on them, you would be discouraged by others. However, today, such issues are completely open for discussion. What in the past was impermissible has today become permissible. This transformation is called social evolution. But there is one issue that has not been affected by the winds of change. It is really painful that some segments of society attribute our social practices, our backwardness, our development, our defeats, our victories, our pains, our wounds, our sad times and our happiness to one fundamental issue – women. Why is it impossible for us to discuss religion, ethics, business and culture without involving women? Why are there so many discussions about women driving cars, intermingling with men in the work place and walking around with their faces uncovered? Why do we always try to involve women in every issue as if they actually had anything to do with it? If you discuss any general issue such as education with some people, they will find a way to somehow bring women into the conversation. If you tell them women play an important role in the economy and that they need to be empowered, they will start talking about decadence and the negative effects of intermingling. They even go so far as to say that women should not be permitted to go out, should not go to festivals like Al-Jandriyah, should not shake hands with their brothers and should not leave the house to work. It is sad that all these people talk about is women as if women were responsible for all of our problems. Please remember that women are citizens of this country too and that they have rights and duties just like men do. Women are mothers, wives, daughters and sisters. Let's stop this obsession with women's issue and focus, both men and women, on building and advancing our country. Also, why do we refer to those who call for more participation of women in society as Westerners and secularists? What's wrong with Westerners? Have they not built a great civilization? Are we not driving and riding in vehicles manufactured by them? Are we not using their technology? Those who say things like this are nothing but backward, ignorant hypocrites. Our society does not need them because all they do is pull society back every time it tries to move forward. They believe, with a deep conviction, that they are the ones who will save society and lead it to the righteous path. Together, with their supporters, they exert great efforts to accomplish their goals. However, they should realize that people no longer believe them and support their disillusioned ideas because people have opened their eyes.
