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SAUDI ARABIA has formally adopted a decree from its ruler, King Abdullah, allowing only women to work in the country’s lingerie stores.
The decree comes after women had complained of feeling awkward and embarrassed about having to buy their underwear in stores staffed exclusively by men.
One shopper told AFP: “I and many other women like me were always embarrassed to walk into lingerie shops because men were selling the goods.”
The shopper added that she had previously bought the wrong underwear simply because she felt “was sensitive about explaining what I wanted” to a male server.
The decree came into effect today, after being issued last July, giving shops six months to comply with its ruling. The ban will be extended to cosmetics shops from July.
The Saudi government says the ruling will affect over 4,300 retailers in the country, which has a population of over 27 million, and create job opportunities for around 40,000 women.
All legislation in Saudi Arabia is passed down by the King; the country does not have a parliament.
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The most surprising thing about this story is – Saudi Arabia has lingerie stores?!?!
Of course they do. They also have all designer chains like Karen Millen etc. Lots of stuff happens underground here in Jeddah at least. Women organise parties where they dress up and sometimes mixed parties too. But go to provinces and you’ll end up with 200 lashes for mixing with women.
You thought they are not allowed undies val?
Not “undies” as such…but like lingerie? I would have expected granny knickers maybe in a strictly Muslim nation, who would have thought they’d get away with an aul pair of frenchies.
Nothing sexier than a nice thong underneath a burka
What a load of knickers
Job for women who can get a man to drive them to work.
Exactly Sharrow, what tripe!!!
Why ban men? Why not just allow men AND women work, wherever they want?
Probably something to do with the mixing of the sexes!
Yea… I know! More sexist, out of date daftness!
We have two girls in the office. It’s not as strict as it seems.
So the old rule was “only men may work in knicker shops”. The new rule is “only women may work in knicker shops”.
It’s not really all *that* much in the way of progress, is it…
The sexual discrimiation in some middle eastern countries is a disgrace.
That men are banned from working in certain shops should have people on the street marching !!!!!
Bonkers country.
A Saudi Arabian woman wears googles…
Of course she doesn’t. *amends*
Backward primitive society.
When you think of it…it should be a male sales assistant…BECAUSE…Ultimately it will be a male partner remarking on the choice of lingerie when it comes to that crucial moment.
Trouble is these sales assistants are as sophisticated as Euro 200 per month salary can buy.
They are making progress, albeit slowly, and that’s commendable but there’s a long way to go. Also, many arabs are still in denial about the treatment of women but if one follows archaic and feeble-minded teachings from archaic sources, what might one expect?
It’s not an Islamic revolution that’s needed in the Middle-East it’s an Islamic reformation.
@Joe Sixtwo, totally totally agree, never fails to amaze me that this type of shit actually goes on in this day and age. Thank goodness I live in a somewhat civilised part of the world! It may not be perfect, and sometimes it can be the other extreme, but I know which one I prefer.
get that thong off your face Mohammed….
Why would a man want to work in a lingerie store??
Why
have your say