British PM Theresa May lands in Saudi Arabia without headscarf

May defended her visit to the kingdom and said she believed she would set an example as a female leader of a powerful government in a country.

By: News Desk |
April 4, 2017 7:31 pm

British Prime Minsiter Theresa May seems to have deliberately ignored the strict Saudi Arabian dress code during her visit to the desert Kingdom. The British PM arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday without wearing the traditional headscarf.

However, she is not the first lady to have declined to adhere to Saudi rule, Earlier, prominent political figures including Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, also had refused to wear headscarf during their visit to the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has faced widespread criticism for its ultra-conservative dress code that requires women to wear a full-length robe and cover for their hair under its restrictive law.

Under Saudi law, all females must have a male guardian (wali), typically a father, brother, husband or uncle (mahram) that aims to limit women’s movement and even prohibit them from driving but foreign dignitaries do not always follow these protocols.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s second leg of her Gulf tour , Ms May defended her visit to the kingdom and said she believed she would set an example as a female leader of a powerful government in a country.

“I hope that people see me as a woman leader, [and] will see what women can achieve and how women can be in significant positions,” May told reporters onboard her plane to Amman in Jordan on Monday.