In the most holy Islamic country where women must cover from head to toe when in the presence of any man other than their fathers brothers and husbands. Where women and men are forbidden to work alongside one another, it's incredible to think that Saudi Arabian women had to buy their most intimate apparel from male shop assistants.
Many Saudi women get teased and taunted about their bra sizes while shopping.
The 2006 law banning men from working in female apparel and cosmetic stores has never been put into effect, partly because of view of hard-liners in the religious establishment, who oppose the whole idea of women working where men and women congregate together, like malls.
Saudi women — tired of having to deal with men when buying undergarments — have boycotted lingerie stores to pressure them to employ women. The government's decision to enforce the law requiring that goes into effect Thursday.
Yahoo
This is really great news. Not only will this provide thousands of jobs for Saudi women, but it could give these women a space to congregate and discuss equal rights away from patriarchal fathers or husbands.
Saudi english teacher and women's rights activist, Eman Al Nafjan spoke favorably of the law.
"It's very significant. It's going to cause social change to have women working in the malls. It might seem like nothing to people in the West, but it's still a responsibility and it's still an opportunity to show society that women are just as responsible and capable as men."
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
This caps off a year in which Saudi women took part in civil disobedience against the country's sexist driving ban and gained the right to vote in the next elections.
Unfortunately there will always be the Pat Robertsonesque religious nuts who drag their feet at any sign of progress.
Ibrahim Al Mugaiteeb from Saudi Arabia's Human Rights First Society says men selling women underwear is un-Islamic, but that did not stop religious clerics fighting against the change.
"This is the hypocrisy of some religious people who interpret the rulings of Islam, otherwise you would think they would be fighting for that," he said.
"No man should deal with a woman about her underwear.
"The march has started - realising full rights for women in Saudi Arabia. I don't think anything can stop it now."
The arab spring has unleashed a worldwide hunger for freedom, equality, and democracy. As we enter 2012, I hope to see more popular uprisings against tyranny, discrimination, and injustice in all forms. International solidarity should be our new years resolution.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
-MLK