WASHINGTON — As a woman who has dedicated her life to the cause of women, it pained me deeply to read a column in The Washington Post objecting to Saudi Arabia hosting the Women’s Tennis Association Finals, based on arguments rooted in outdated stereotypes and Western-centric views of our culture. Failing to acknowledge the great progress women have made in Saudi Arabia undermines our remarkable journey.
Like many women around the world, we have looked to the legends of tennis as trailblazers and role models, seeing them as glimmers of hope that women truly can achieve it all. However, it is beyond disappointing that these champions have turned their backs on the very same women they have inspired. Sports are meant to be a great equalizer, offering opportunity to everyone based on ability, dedication, and hard work, not as a tool to advance personal biases or agendas, or to punish a society that is eager to embrace tennis and help celebrate and grow the sport.
Sports are a powerful force for the advancement of women – your sisters, mothers, and daughters – both in my country and around the world, East and West, North and South. Through sport, women can not only achieve their dreams on a court or field but also drive social change. Who would deny them these dreams?
Sports are a powerful force for the advancement of women – your sisters, mothers, and daughters – both in my country and around the world.
Saudi Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud
The authors claim that the girls of Saudi Arabia should not be able to watch a professional tennis tournament in their own country, suggesting we are not ready. They assert that Saudi law ‘essentially makes women the property of men.’ On this, let me simply say: get your facts straight. The notion often referred to as ‘guardianship’ no longer describes the status of Saudi women today. Women do not need the approval of a guardian to travel, work, or be the head of their household. Saudi women are in charge of their personal and financial futures.
Today, Saudi women own more than 300,000 businesses, and roughly 25 percent of small and mid-size startup companies, which is about the same percentage as in the United States. Every door is open to women in Saudi Arabia, including traditionally male-dominated sectors such as the military, firefighting, law, and law enforcement. We even have women astronauts. Women in Saudi Arabia now enjoy equal pay, leading the way towards a goal that should be universal. While there is still work to be done, the recent progress for women in the workforce, as well as the social and cultural opportunities being created for them, are truly profound and should not be overlooked.
Today, Saudi women own more than 300,000 businesses… Every door is open to women in Saudi Arabia, including traditionally male-dominated sectors.
Saudi Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud
So much has changed for women in Saudi Arabia. Today, not only do we have women’s sports leagues and federations, but we also boast over 330,000 registered female athletes, with 14,000 actively playing tennis. Thousands of women serve as coaches, mentors, referees, and sports doctors. Women participate and win in sports competitions at local, regional, and international levels.
Yet, at this time, we hear voices from overseas, even from those we respect and would welcome women-to-women conversations with, who dismiss us as victims and voiceless. Their views, often shaped by trendy political arguments favoring exclusion, undermine not just the progress of women in sports but also women’s progress as a whole.
We are investing in and committing to sports as part of a comprehensive program to become the best version of ourselves. This journey is about us, not external perceptions. I assure you, Olympic runner Yasmeen AlDabbagh, martial arts competitor Tahani AlQahtani, and rising tennis star Yara AlHogbani are not striving to change perceptions about their rights as women. Instead, they are paving the path forward for themselves, their fellow Saudi girls and women, and their country.
We are investing in and committing to sports as part of a comprehensive program to become the best version of ourselves.
Saudi Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud
I understand that some who oppose hosting a women’s tennis tournament in Saudi Arabia may have noble intentions, advocating for universal equality for women. We share this goal in Saudi Arabia and globally. We welcome healthy debate about women’s progress. My country is not yet a perfect place for women, as no place is. But progress is constant in Saudi Arabia, with women advancing at a pace perhaps unmatched elsewhere in the world. We should all engage in a dialogue about our different paths, unique obstacles and opportunities, and how we, as women, can reach our common destination.
Perfection cannot be the price for admission – not for a tennis tournament, nor for any other space that our women wish to enter. We live in an imperfect world, but we must strive to improve it every day, from encouraging girls to pick up a racket to promoting breast cancer awareness in rural areas, or creating curricula for women to gain financial literacy. These are all campaigns into which I have poured my heart and soul. True empowerment, the kind I want for my daughter, involves the opportunity and tools to make your own choices.
To those who deny our women the same opportunities others enjoy, I hear your message loud and clear: there is no seat for me at your table. However, I will welcome you at mine. My table is not constrained by political views, borders, race, or geography. I hope you accept my invitation to meet the women you may not have intended to inspire, but have done so with your hard work. I hear you. You may not have fought for us, but as we continue to fulfill our dreams, we will remember your journey and carry your victories with us.
As President of the Women’s Committee for the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and a member of the Gender, Equality & Inclusion Commission at the International Olympic Committee, it is my responsibility to share our narrative with the world – not for approval, but for productive dialogue. We strive to champion our common cause not only in Saudi Arabia, but also in places where women are no longer content to sit on the sidelines.
The journey of women is filled with imperfections, and Saudi Arabia is no exception. I understand that you may be skeptical of my words, but I still thank you for giving me the opportunity to present my case. I open my doors to you with grace and invite you to come to Saudi Arabia as my guest. Engage in conversations with the women and girls who are eager to be a part of your world, and witness firsthand the impact of your journey. Perhaps then, you will appreciate the immense value of being a part of theirs.
Reema Bandar Al-Saud is the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America. The excerpts provided above are from her statement in response to a recent opinion editorial in The Washington Post.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and may not reflect the editorial policy or an official position held by TRENDS.