Gulf News reports that Saudi Arabia just hosted its first women’s marathon, presumably as part of its professed liberalization of women’s rights. It wasn’t a full marathon, but 3 km—about 1.9 miles. It did excite a lot of interest among the women, though, as 2,000 signed up within hours, and 1,500 actually ran. That was a much higher registration than organizers assumed, so they had to close off entries. This shows that women in Saudi Arabia really are interested in sports, even though they’re often not allowed to participate in that sexist country.
But look how the women were forced to run! No wonder the winning time was 15 minutes (granted, a bit better than I could do in running shorts at my age). Click the screenshot to go to the article:
Yes, they are running in burqas or abayas, though, to facilitate breathing, I suppose the organizers let them dispense with veils.
Here’s a video from Al Arabiya English:
You go, girls! This is an ineffably sad spectacle.
This photo of the winners epitomizes the inequity: look at the guy wearing a tee-shirt and shorts!
Is this progress? Well, of a sort. At least they can run, but if there were no dress code, do you seriously think the women would run in robes or sacks? Gulf News tries to make the best of this:
Women have made impressive strides in recent months in Saudi Arabia as the society is undergoing intensive changes that saw them organise tournaments and attend sporting events in major stadiums.
The kingdom has in recent months eased restrictions on women, including the lifting of a driving ban — set to go into effect in June.
In September, hundreds of women were allowed to enter a sports stadium in Riyadh, used mostly for football matches, for the first time to mark Saudi Arabia’s national day.
If they really want to make progress, let them deep-six the sharia law that counts a woman’s court testimony as half of a man’s, gives her half the inheritance of her brothers, and requires her to be accompanied by a guardian (and clad in a sack) when she goes out. Compared to that, sports is a thin veneer to make the world believe the kingdom is committed to women’s equality.
My friend Orli Peter, a psychologist, had the appropriate take, which is not to laugh but to mourn:
I dunno, when it comes to distaff track outfits, I prefer that of the late, great Flo-Jo.
EWWWWW!
Still, it doesn’t hold a candle of EWWWWW to Mario Cipollini and his <a ref " https://www.flickr.com/photos/58946915@N00/319648326" meat suit
I can’t html today. Here’s the link
https://www.flickr.com/photos/58946915@N00/319648326
Arrrrggggg. SO sorry!
It’s OK to post pictures now, mikeyc. Easier on readers, too. 🙂
Meanwhile, re the suit–Arrrrggggg!
Let me hasten to add, it’s got nothing to do with cheesecake, everything to do, as the great folk sing Phranc put it, with being strong like an Amazon.
Interesting. Does her left leg, with the extra ventilation and slightly less inertia, run faster than her right? 😉
cr
Let me add, contra mikeyc, cooool!
😉
^ Politically incorrect grin
As a former marathoner, there’s a nit I feel I HAVE to pick. If it’s only 3km it is NOT a Marathon. Not even a metaphor for one.
As you say, 15 minutes for 3k running in a non-competitive race in those ridiculous clown suits is actually pretty good.
I agree the time is excellent for being dressed in all that garb. Many runners elsewhere do, of course, dress in ways covering themselves, but it’s fun runners in fancy dress!
I’m really glad it wasn’t a longer race. Between SA’s weather, the heavy clothing, and the high likelihood that these are not regular runners, these events could easily produce a lot of heat stroke cases.
I’m very glad they have the opportunity to run. And nobody should be laughing at them. But I’m also hoping that long runs in heavy clothing in desert heat does not become some symbol or representation of “freedom” merely because the Saudi government permits it. That seems almost Orwellian.
Looks like a step forward, however ridiculous the uniforms are.
Glen Davidson
The gigantic elephant in the room is the concept of women being “allowed”. Saudi politicians and businessmen should be publicly derided at every opportunity.
Good point. The ladies should be grateful they’re allowed to do it, right? Ugh.
In particular, they should now shut up, take their running shoes off and get back to the kitchen.
I think a better, more productive response would be to take the “win” and then, after a short rest, start pushing for the next liberalizing move. Demonizing them for “allowing” women to run doesn’t help anyone. It is the wrong attitude, of course, but those in control are not going to respond to bullying. There might be some real progressives in the leadership of Muslim countries but they have to work within the confining structure of religiosity and other bad ideas.
I think people do respond to being held in obvious contempt by their peers. I’m a believer in Sam Harris’ idea of conversational intolerance. I don’t for a moment believe that the majority of Saudis involved in business have a strong commitment to this kind of idiocy. When the people that they have to deal with on a daily basis become a bigger problem to them than the religious nuts in their own country, then they may reign in those nuts.
+1
Cue Linda Sarsour.
I think we’re witnessing a new Olympic event!!
The guy in t-short and shorts standing beside the podium with women in that ridiculous garb says just about everything one needs to say about this society.
In the same picture, the woman giving prizes wears a robe or a burqa with Adidas (three-)stripes. How strange.
Presumably the Koran says nothing about sponsorship.
cr
Lol!
The photo of the man in shorts next to the award winners condenses the hypocrisy of this society.
This society is marred by an inequality that can be viewed in plain sight. The men do not support the women. I see a parade of fraudulent equality and the men know it and the women are led to believe this is a breakthrough of some kind.
Reblogged this on PACIFIC ISLAND BEACON.
A singularly unimpressive show of enlightenment values.
I wouldn’t consider running 3k in the heat of Saudi Arabia let alone putting on that black sheet. It’s not running, it’s torture.
Well, I’m not so sure. For example. Surprisingly, the bish* is cooler to wear than Western clothing in the extreme heat and dryness of the Arabian desert. It is pretty amazing, actually. I am not sure about the burkas and abayas I’ve never worn one, but I can attest that the bish is quite a bit more comfortable in the heat than western clothing.
Still, they’re just wrong to use for running. The weight is a serious issue as is mobility and they don’t shed heat well, which a runner needs to do.
*transliteration of a Arabic word for a common male garment seen throughout the mideast; a long flowing robe with a head dress usually black or a dark color. Very much like the typical “thawb” -another typical type of Arab male clothing, also with a headdress but usually white and made with less material.
White cloth, I’ll buy that but nothing black.
Never thought about it before, but maybe another possible reason for men requiring women having to wear sacks was to make it more difficult for them to run.
Incremental progress, but I fear that it might create a backlash – “well, we let this through and look what happened” …
“Impressive strides”
No, they are extremely meager strides.
I remember doing sack races at primary school. But we tended to hop in them rather than wear them.
I don’t know how those women stand all that freedom. Very feminist of them. Linda Sourpuss, er Sarsour would be impressed at the liberation.
This is why we have the international women’s day.. At least it’s a step forward.