Of a Saudi Beauty Contest, Conjugal Economies of Scale, Banned Cars, and Legal Jackasses
Things are changing after all in some ways. A special beauty contest was held in eastern Saudi Arabia last week. A young 18 year old woman was crowned Saudi Arabia’s Queen of Good Manners in a first contest of its kind. She beat 275 other young ladies (and girls). The contestants received points for good manners, respect for parents and Islamic values, and service to society, more than ‘physical beauty’. Imagine a contest for Miss USA that required good manners, respect for parents, no cheesy photos floating over the cyberspaces, etc? They would never get enough entrants, especially with the proviso on ‘Islamic values’! (Needless to say, they did not ask them about same-sex union and marriage).
The queen gets a prize of SR 5,000, about US$1,333, a pearl necklace, some diamond jewelry, and a trip to Malaysia. The judges vetted the entrants for three months before the final.
A mass wedding for 74 couples was also held at the same event. Weddings have become so expensive in Saudi Arabia (and the Gulf states) that many young men postpone it. Mass weddings are becoming a new phenomenon in the Middle East- the economies of scale, you know. The state often provides a marriage loan that covers part of the expenses. On the other hand, once married the man has a tight grip on his wife: a Saudi women cannot do much without a husband’s permission- this includes relocation and travel. They are the only women in the world who are not allowed to drive cars, ride motorcycles, or bicycles. On the brighter side, they can mount any donkey, horse, camel, or jackass they want (and the jackass doesn’t have to be her husband or any close male relative).
The mainstream Saudi media has ignored this contest, so no royal prince showed up to crown the winner (remember: it was held in the predominantly Shi'a Eastern Province). No photos of the queen and her runner-ups were published.
being published, sort of (above).
Cheers
mhg
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