Women in Saudi Arabia can finally drive, and the tweets and pics are everything
As clocks struck midnight on June 24th, women in Saudi Arabia celebrated their right to legally drive in their home country for the first time in decades. The government began issuing driver’s licenses to women earlier this month, and now those women are legally allowed on the roads.
As CNBC noted, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman pushed for the change, and the end of the ban was announced in September 2017. While the number of women on the road currently remains low, CNBC estimates that by 2020, three million Saudi Arabian women will hold driver’s licenses, and many are currently taking lessons.
In recent years, women in Saudi Arabia have slowly gained an increasing number of rights. In 2015, they were granted the right to vote and run for political office. And earlier this year, women attended a Saudi Arabian football match as spectators for the first time.
As Time notes, under the former driving ban, women had to rely on hired drivers or relatives for transportation. These citizens have gained a newfound freedom, and many hope the change will encourage more women to enter the workforce (some women have already hit the road as Uber drivers).
"I'm speechless. I'm so excited it's actually happening," one driver, Hessah al-Ajaji, told the Associated Press.
As soon as the ban was lifted, women across the country celebrated with emotional posts on social media.
It’s a historical day
Congratulations ladies 💜💜#WomenDriving pic.twitter.com/7o8GAk2Zls— MARAM (@iill1155) June 23, 2018
It’s like seeing my city from a different view, Majdooleen al-Ateeq said of being in the driving seat for once in #Riyadh#WomenDriving #المرأة_السعودية_تسوق pic.twitter.com/iwj8hogjAT
— Sarah Dadouch | سارة دعدوش (@SarahDadouch) June 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1010754993073385473
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Others made gorgeous artwork to commemorate the occasion.
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1010792453505462272
New Day 🇸🇦#SaudiArabia #WomenDriving #Women2Drive #SaudiWomenCanDrive #KSA pic.twitter.com/Bb9i4dRUnk
— Shamekh AlBluwi (@shamekhbluwi) June 24, 2018
It was truly a day worth celebrating.
#WomenDriving in #SaudiArabia #WomensRights : Congrats gals. A big win ! Go and drive though the Universe 😎 @SaudiWomenCanDrive pic.twitter.com/5QLBy2HOl6
— SHE from India (@an_Indian_Woman) June 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1010747256155394048
I love how the women in Saudi aren't just driving any cars but like pimped and luxury cars. It's like they've been saving up for this moment their entire life to roll out on the streets to show the Ahmad's and Ali's how to do it.
A long awaited day for women in KSA #WomenDriving— Yaseen (@MYaseenfarooqui) June 24, 2018
Traffic police even handed out flowers and chocolates to new drivers.
حتى نفسيات العسكر تغيرت مع قيادة المرأة والمطوع مستانس و احتمال يواصل ٤٨ ساعه 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/qsTQb8XuCo
— بدر ★ (@iiiib9) June 24, 2018
#SaudiWomenDriving and making history and traffic police is right there with them! #SaudiWomenCanDrive #KSA #WomenDriving #المرأة_السعودية_تقود_السيارة pic.twitter.com/Zg8VdfSiUp
— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) June 24, 2018
Even though Saudi Arabian women are making strides toward equality, they still face oppression on many fronts. As Vox reported, several women’s rights activists who protested for the right to drive were arrested in May, and even now, at least three of them remain in prison. Additionally, guardianship laws in the country still require women to have a male relative’s permission to do things like get married, study abroad, and work outside the home.
Congratulations to all the women who can finally get behind the wheel, and we sincerely hope even more progress is made — and soon.
