Women's Liberation, Saudi Style

You never know in advance just what form progress will take.

The Telegraph reports:

It is hailed as a major step forward for women's emancipation in Saudi Arabia: in the coming weeks they will enjoy the right to buy lingerie from female shop assistants.

This may be a far cry from bra-burning feminism but in Saudi Arabia the notion of buying one's brassiere from a woman is nothing short of revolutionary.

A new decree requiring shop owners to hire female staff to sell undergarments illustrates the cautious liberalisation the kingdom is undergoing - and how far it has yet to travel.

Its glitzy shopping malls may appear little different from those abroad, with the same global brands dominating the shops. But you soon realise this is a different world altogether.

The assistants standing among the rows of knickers, bras and see-through nighties are all men.

Somehow they presume to know the best underwear for their customers, even though the latter are hidden under baggy cloaks known as "abaya", black headscarves and often the face-covering "niqab".

Pop into the cosmetics stores and those advising on the best blush tones and lipstick colours have beards and moustaches.

"It's embarrassing buying from a man, especially when he tells you what size he thinks you are in underwear," said a 21-year-old student at a shopping mall in Jeddah.

Read the whole thing here.