大咖福利影院

Dropped off children at school, did some grocery shopping and now heading to work.
It聮s the end of the week, so much to do and so little time to do it in. Today聮s TO-DO list:
1. Police station,
2. Passport, department,
3. Bank,
5. Beach resort, boat and jet-ski rental and reservation.

First things first: The police station.
聯Salam aleikum, I聮m Muna Ahmad, lawyer of Laila Ibrahim who ran a red light,聰 the uniformed man did not flinch.
I continued, 聯She completed the consequential one night in jail and here聮s the fine payment so she聮s free to go.聰
Still, silence.
聯Excuse me, I聮m talking to you.聰
聯Where is he?聰 he barked.
聯Where is who?聰 I replied.
聯Her 聭wali amr聮 (legal male guardian)?聰
聯I聮m her lawyer,聰 I said handing him a copy of my license.
聯Even if you were her mother. If there聮s no legal male guardian, then she stays jailed,聰 he spat without even looking up.
聯But she聮s done the time,聰 I argued.
聯She聮ll do more time until her legal male guardian comes for her. Go complain to a qadi (judge) if you don聮t like it.聰
Drove to court. Bribed the court聮s entry points and approached the judge.
聯Sheikh Saeed, I need a court order because my client聮s being illegally kept beyond her due time.聰
The judge turned to the clerk/plaintiff. 聯Tell the woman to cover her face!聰
聯Cover your face woman!聰 ordered the clerk.
Fine. Face covered, I stated my case again.
聯Tell her a woman聮s voice should not be heard,聰 said the judge to the clerk.
Having had enough, face still covered I walked up to the judge and placed my client聮s papers in front of him.
聯Step back!聰 shouted the judge. 聯How dare you trespass God聮s boundaries and approach me!聰
聯Women spoke directly to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and to the caliphs,聰 I retorted. 聯Surely, what of their abidance by God聮s laws? Or are you better?聰
I was shouted out and forcefully removed from court.
聯Anyway, women 聴 lawyer or not 聴 are not allowed in here!聰 were the clerk聮s last words.
Fuming, I drove to the Passport Department to renew my passport.
聯Where is your legal male guardian?聰 asked the employee.
聯It聮s just for passport renewal, not a first time,聰 I replied.
聯Where and who do you think you are?聰 said the employee. 聯Where聮s the man responsible for you? No husband? Then get your brother, son, father or uncle.聰
聯But I聮ve a national ID,聰 I said.
聯Doesn聮t matter,聰 he replied. 聯You can聮t issue or renew any passport. Only a man can.聰
Unbelievable. Blood pressure is a few degrees higher.

On the way to the bank, I received a call from my friend Sarah, in Bahrain for basic lingerie shopping where women work in such departments. Sarah, like many women avoid the local shops where only salesmen are allowed to work. A salesman can size you up (& down), even discuss in-depth, the best lace, the best silk and the best shades. She聮d missed her flight back and asked if I could cross the bridge and pick her up?
聯Can聮t,聰 was my answer. 聯My passport聮s expired. No passport means no male guardian travel-consent paper.聰
At the bank, my 17-year-old daughter wants to open a bank account for her savings.
聯I聮m sorry you can聮t,聰 apologized the employee. 聯As a minor only her legal male guardian can.聰
聯But I聮m also her parent, here聮s the form verifying my employment status and I聮m an old client here!聰 I said.
聯Doesn聮t matter. For a minor, the legal male guardian needs to come with the required paperwork,聰 she replied. 聯If he聮s self-employed, he needs to bring a chamber of commerce license. If not, he should bring an employment status verification paper from the company he works for.聰
聯And what if he聮s unemployed?聰 I asked.
聯Then that聮s it,聰 the employee answered.
聯I pay her school tuition fees, save for her university education, buy her clothing, accessories, pay her allowance, pay for her leisure activities, travel expenses, tickets, mobile bills 聴 all that counts for nothing? On what basis?聰 I asked.
聯Wallahi (I swear), it聮s not the bank but SAMA policy聰, she replied.

Blood rising to a boil, my disappointed daughter (and savings) and I returned to the car and drove out to an Obhur beach resort for the weekend. It will be therapeutic after such a day.
聯Can I help you?聰 the receptionist cordially asked.
聯We聮re here for the weekend, two nights聰, I said.
聯Is your legal male guardian with you?聰
聯No, only the two of us聰, I answered.
聯Your legal male guardian has to sign the required forms, in person,聰 he said.
聯But I聮m paying,聰 I said.
聯Doesn聮t matter,聰 he answered.
聯OK then, we聮d like a boat ride and to rent a jet ski,聰 I said.
聯With a 聭mahram聮 (male guardian again)?聰 he asked.
聯I told you, just us two,聰 I retorted.
聯Sorry madam, you can聮t.聰 Absolutely livid, we drove back home.
So let me get this straight:

Only a man can bail a woman out of jail regardless of time served or paid fines.

Only a man can speak to and be seen by a judge.

Only a man can practice law.

Only a man can sell women聮s lingerie.

Only a man can open a bank account for his child.

Only a man can check into a beach resort (regardless if the fact that women can check into hotels).

Only a man can rent a boat (ride) or jet-ski (in person or on paper).

Only a man can facilitate a woman聮s traveling (in person or on paper).

BUT I聮m allowed to drive? Must be a toy car, the wheel merely a pacifier?

All of the above is FACT. The only fiction is driving.

What illusive independence!

Adults are we?

Driving: What is our God-given right and due?

Mothers. Wives. Daughters. Sisters. Doctors. Educators. Writers. Researchers. Scientists. Journalists. Marketers. Bankers. Nurses. Financial analysts. Therapists. Architects. Lawyers. Pilots. Students. Designers. Mathematicians. Entrepreneurs. Businesswomen.

What were their words? 聯Doesn聮t matter聰.

Says man.

Not God.

--- SOMAYYA JABARTI | ARAB NEWS