It had been one of those suburban mom days: I spent the entire day in my car. Every mom has those days of shuffling kids, doing errands to keep the family afloat, running to appointments, etc. By the end of the day I was exhausted and grumpy. I let loose a martyr tirade at my husband something akin to “ I am nothing more than a servant and chauffeur!”
The next morning in the car after school drop off, I heard the NPR report on the Saudi Arabian women protesting the defacto prohibition on women driving. I felt very sheepish. It was humbling to be reminded that I take for granted a privilege that women across the world are fighting to have. I was reminded of our time in India when, intimidated by the chaotic traffic, I depended on a male driver to take me everywhere. I felt controlled and trapped. The protest website, Oct26Driving.com and YouTube were filled with examples of courageous women driving to take charge of their destinies. It was a privilege to see them take their freedom despite hysterical warnings from clerics that driving was going to “damage their ovaries.”
It never ceases to amaze me the reaction when the status quo of male patriarchy is rocked. I remember Grace, the director of Wings School, talking about a father of one of the students getting angry when his daughter took a bath everyday to go to school. He accused her of having an affair (she hadn’t event reached puberty yet!). The patriarchy was shaken by her desire to go to school. Transportation is a big issue for the girls at Wings, too. Some the girls have long journeys on public buses. Male passengers subject them to harassment every day. After going through the gauntlet of a father opposing your education and then sexual harassment it is a wonder that absenteeism at Wings is so low. No wonder it is a relief to be at school. Wings is a safe haven to have her mind, body, and spirit nurtured after such an ordeal.
So my take away today is to be thankful for the freedom to drive, which I will try to remember on the next time I spend the day in my car.
– Sheryl Hoye, KAP President
