Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia

PRINCESS
    A True Story of Life
    Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
    Jean Sasson
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    Published by:
    Jean Sasson at Smashwords
    Copyright (c) 2004-2011 by Jean Sasson
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    For additional information about Jean Sasson
and her books, or for updates on Princess Sultana, women’s issues,
and Saudi Arabia, please visit the following websites:
    Author’s website: http://www.JeanSasson.com
    Princess Sultana’s website: http://www.PrincessSultanasCircle.com
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    To Jack
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    (c) 2004 by The Sasson Corporation
    Published by arrangement with the author
    All rights reserved. This book may not be
duplicated in any way without the express written consent of the
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    Cover Design by Lightbourne
    Book Design by Rosamond Grupp
    Front Cover Model’s Photograph by Marco Baldi
for Studio Babaldi
    Author Photograph by Peter M.M. Sasson
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    A note to readers from Jean Sasson
    Since the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia,
the violence in Libya, and the unrest spreading through Bahrain,
Yemen, and Iran, I’ve received many letters from readers who are
turning to PRINCESS and its sequels, PRINCESS SULTANA’S DAUGHTERS
and PRINCESS SULTANA’S CIRCLE. My readers want to know whether the
conditions described in the PRINCESS trilogy still reflect how
women are treated in the Middle East. I will now answer that
question in this introduction.
    As most people now know, it’s impossible to
describe the various countries of the Middle East as one region.
Although joined in spirit through the Islamic faith, and with the
pull of traditional values remaining strong in most Middle Eastern
lands, the cultural expectations in each country can still be
vastly different from the others. While some governments have
allowed humanitarian gains for their female populations, others
have walked back in time. Therefore, I’ll take you with me on a
short walk through a number of Middle Eastern countries, providing
a brief description of life for women in the year 2011.
    In Algeria, women mainly stay in the home
with a mere 7% of women working outside the home. Men even take
care of the shopping. Marriages are still arranged by the parents
of the couple, with the union considered to be a family affair,
rather than a relationship between one man and one woman. Women are
considered weak, and in need of male protection. Women are allowed
to run for public office, but few make such attempts. In fact,
Algerian law considers women permanent minors, requiring the
consent of their husbands or fathers for most activities.
Therefore, life for women in Algeria is still very limited when it
comes to public life, and females are kept tightly under the rule
of men.
    In Bahrain, approximately 20% of women work
outside the home, although this is changing as more women graduate
from college. Although Bahrain is considered more liberal than most
Middle Eastern countries, most men still consider women weak,
requiring male protection. Arranged marriages are the norm although
the bride and groom are often allowed supervised meetings prior to
the wedding. Women are allowed to drive. There is great hope that
women will continue to move forward in Bahrain.
    In Egypt women work outside the home,