"We are real": Saudi feminists launch online radio - Sensationalist Headlines

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-45181505 Operating out of a small room in an unknown country, a new internet radio station broadcasts a programme aimed at campaigning for greater women's rights in Saudi Arabia. With melancholy music playing in the background, the presenter of Nsawya FM (Feminism FM) addresses the issue of domestic violence in the Gulf kingdom. The presenter's voice shakes with emotion as she discusses the fate of Sara, a woman she says was killed by a male relative. She was a 33-year-old university graduate with a job who lived with her parents - and who wanted to marry a man with a different nationality, that of Yemen. "Sara's dream was ended with five bullets shot by her 22-year-old brother, even though she had been officially engaged with the consent of her parents," Ashtar, a 27 year old who uses a pseudonym inspired by the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, later told BBC Arabic by phone. Three weeks ago, Nsawya FM set up a Twitter account and announced it would broadcast a weekly programme that would be the "voice of the silent majority". It also called for volunteers who wanted to get involved in production or contribute material. In the past two weeks, the station has broadcast two one-hour programmes using only a microphone, a laptop with editing software and the live audio streaming website Mixlr. The poor quality of the sound and the whole production, in general, reflects the non-professional nature of this project. Ashtar said they did not expect a massive audience initially, and were instead aiming for "gradual growth" as the programme spread awareness on women's rights. "We started this project to archive this phase for history, so that people would know we were real, we did exist," explained Ashtar, who did not want so share any details about her own identity despite living outside the kingdom because she feared reprisals. "The Saudi authorities could ban Twitter at any moment and we would lose the archive of our thoughts. Whereas the radio gives us the opportunity to record programmes and broadcast them on other platforms," she added. At least 17 human rights defenders and women's rights activists critical of the Saudi government have been arrested or detained since mid-May, according to the UN. Several of them have been accused of serious crimes, including "suspicious contact with foreign parties", and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Ashtar described herself as "an activist who uses the media to express her ideas". Ashtar expressed admiration for the "the Matriarchal era" - an apparent reference to a period in pre- Islamic Arabia when women were the leaders of their tribes. "I believe that women are better than men. If women were to hold power again, especially in certain sectors like the judiciary, this world would be a better place," she explained. Now that the ban on women driving has been lifted by King Salman, activists like Ashtar are campaigning to for an end to the male guardianship system, which they say is discriminatory. Under the system, men are given the authority to make a range of critical decisions on behalf of their female relatives.

Stoned the day after..

Well I guess that answers my question

Although the film's set in Iran, I recommend that people check the horror film out called 'Under The Shadow'. It's on Netflix and it indirectly criticises Islamic law fairly thoroughly. This showed to me plainly that Islamic communities are not at all homogeneous in their distaste for progress and women's liberation, especially due to the film not being banned there. It's also an excellent film.

Fuck being a minority in a country filled with radicals

Repeat after me: fuck Saudi Arabia.

no

Ashtar expressed admiration for the "the Matriarchal era" - an apparent reference to a period in pre-Islamic Arabia when women were the leaders of their tribes. "I believe that women are better than men. If women were to hold power again, especially in certain sectors like the judiciary, this world would be a better place," she explained. Yikes. I guess it's still possible to be bigoted even when you're actively oppressed, huh.

Okay, a compromise, with a condom

deal

Hate just breeds hate, women would indeed be better than men if they could somehow endure that oppression without becoming bitter and angry.

Better to snip your pipes, don't want the rubber to break tbh

more like hands chopped off

Gonna give her a pass on that because Saudi Arabia decided to end the ban on women driving this year.

Under a male leader lol

How many male leaders said women can't drive?

Extreme actions prompt extreme reactions. Malcolm X was a black nationalist for a while, but that's doesn't mean everything he said was without value.

"I believe that women are better than men. If women were to hold power again, especially in certain sectors like the judiciary, this world would be a better place" My girlfriend was in single sex education throughout primary and secondary school. Spoilers: Women can fight eachother over dumb shit, make bad decisions and be greedy just like men can. Who knew?

To be fair, I'm not sure I blame them for resenting the opposite sex when made to live under them as literal second class citizens. I'm not saying she's not dead wrong, but it's understandable considering the shit women have to put up with over there.

it's completely understandable. Look at the monsters keeping them under their rule. I would love to see that country controlled by women at this point, they would probably show more empathy than these animals.

Whoops, didn't realize you were specifically talking about Saudi Arabia rather than just whatever theoretical country. I guess they might do a better job at leading the country depending on how they handle it. If they try to make it more progressive for all the demographics living there, I'd welcome that. Ultimately, though, I don't think it would matter who ends up taking control of the country just as long as they have a goal in making Saudi Arabia not as shitty and oppressive as it currently is.