Meet the students of Saudi Arabia's first driving school for women

[Rhiannon12866]

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is making unprecedented changes in Saudi Arabia with a large focus on the role of women. The kingdom is the last country that denies women the freedom to drive, but that won't be for long. "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell went to the world's largest all-female university in Riyadh, where Saudi women are test-driving their freedom.

Dr. Ruba Alzuhairi is studying to become a surgeon, but she's also studying for her driver's license. She is one of the women paving the way at the driving school at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University – Saudi Arabia's first driving school for women.

"This will also decrease some of the cost that I'm paying on taxis, on a driver. This will help me be independent," Alzuhairi said.

"This is a small change, but it's a significant impact on our society," said another woman studying there. She says men are "significantly positive" about the idea. "That's why it's the right timing. Back in 2011 and 2013 there was negative reaction."

What's changed? "The whole society," says another woman.


More (Includes video): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-arabias-first-driving-school-for-women/



Students at Princess Nora University's driving school CBS NEWS

[OnDoutside]

1. My wife's niece gave a talk recently in Saudi, at a conference on the

Social interaction between men and women in this new environment. In one of those "you couldn't make it up" moments, all the women were down the front, all the men were up in the back half, with a screen dividing them !

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Wow! That sounds absolutely fascinating - and kinda scary too!

I wasn't aware of the changes that were going on there until I read this article, sounds like your wife's niece is part of the first wave! Such a dramatic change in societal norms that have existed for centuries won't happen overnight - and even if the effort comes from a decree from their leadership, there is still bound to be resistance, and not only from men. But it's a start and it does sound like it's happening fairly quickly. It's not "normal" for half of society to be second class citizens, so there's every reason to be hopeful. Thanks for passing that on!

[OnDoutside]

5. She's a Visiting Professor out there, for the last couple of years and she said it does appear to be

changing but old habits die hard obviously !

[BigmanPigman]

3. I saw an old No Reservations show about 10 years ago

when Tony Bourdain went to Saudi Arabia and the woman who was his guide was educated, a TV reporter, was "modern" yet they ate at a fast food restaurant and the women and kids were separated from the men. She said that women think this is a good thing since women are "honored" to be considered so "special". Tony was like, "Uh, OK whatever you say". She even had a special scuba diving burka.

[OnDoutside]

4. Yes that's right. Even though she is not a Muslim, she is forced to wear all the gear. She was

saying that when she goes to restaurants with her female friends, they can opt to go into closed off booths, where they can take off all the gear.

[DrDan]

7. most restaurants - even fast-food ones - have family areas where the families sit and eat together

Special scuba burka?????? We had hundreds of dives there - most from the beach - and never saw anything like that. The Red Sea is a world-class diving area. The East side - not nearly as spectacular. (I got my PADI Instructor certification while there and would take classes to the Red Sea monthly or so. I knew the major dive shops. I never saw anything like that. Perhaps they exist - just saying I never saw one in the 4 years I was there.)

[BigmanPigman]

11. Here is the link...

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ykg2e

[DrDan]

12. thanks for the link - I will watch it . . . but it might be a while with the NCAA starting today

[Tipperary]

6. K/r

[Luz]

8. What's changed? "The whole society," says another woman.

Love this quote.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. I know I posted slightly too much of the article, but I wanted to include that...

[oberliner]

10. The abusive way that women are treated in KSA is appalling

They are literally slaves.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. My uncle was a defense contractor stationed there in the 80s and 90s

When their kids were grown my crazy aunt Sula moved to Saudi Arabia to live with him. She was a tough Greek woman. She would dress like a man and drive around town.

My uncle used to tell some crazy stories. Everyone on the compound made their own beer and booze.