Saudi Arabia allows women to attend soccer match
In a historic move permitted by Saudi rulers, a stadium in Saudi Arabia’s second city, Jeddah, allowed women to attend a soccer match between two local teams, ABC News reports.
Dressed in headscarves and long flowing abbayas the women filed into the stadium, ushered by women in orange T-shirts over their conservative dress, to take up seats at the “family section" of the stands, separate from the male spectators. The structure of the stadium accommodated the segregation with women-only car parks and separate entrances for the female spectators.
These sections are found throughout the country in public places, such as restaurants. Men and women can only sit together as married couples or if they are directly related.
Despite the landmark development for women’s freedom, less than half of the “family section” was filled.
Saudi Arabia will see more mixed stadiums opening over the next few days with the capital Riyadh opening its stadium tomorrow and the city of Damam next week.
