They say “When in Rome, do as Romans do”, but apparently first lady Michelle Obama doesn’t believe in following strict traditions. The first lady and her husband, president Barack Obama, made an unscheduled trip to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to pay their condolences after the death of the King Abdullah.
According to strict dress code for women, all women in Saudi Arabia are required to wear a headscarf and loose, black robes while in public. But Mrs. Obama defiantly refused to cover her head.
From Yahoo News:
As a delegation of dozens of Saudi officials — all men — greeted the Obamas in Riyadh, some shook hands with Mrs. Obama. Others avoided a handshake but acknowledged the first lady with a nod as they passed by.
Saudi Arabia imposes many restrictions on women on the strict interpretation of Islamic Shariah (shah-REE’-yuh) law known as Wahhabism. Genders are strictly segregated. Women are banned from driving, although there have been campaigns in recent years to lift that ban. Guardianship laws also require women to get permission from a male relative to travel, get married, enroll in higher education or undergo certain surgical procedures.
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