The Femitist

thenewrepublic:

On Monday, the world reacted to King Abdullah’s announcement that women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to participate in municipal elections.

“ At a glance, it certainly sounded like terrific news—what, after all, is a more direct emblem of the march of progress than the right to vote? But while the announcement may represent some very marginal progress, Saudi Arabia remains one of the worst places on earth to be a woman. Because the country’s ruling regime is, nominally at least, an American ally, the plight of Saudi women doesn’t receive nearly as much attention in Washington as it should. But it is truly one of the human rights catastrophes of our time.”

-The Editors, The New Republic. “Saudi Women Can Now Vote. But Their Plight Remains a Calamity.”