Saudi Arabia Seriously Considering Allowing Women to Use Forks
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced today that it was leaning towards taking a step forward for women's rights and finally allow its female population to use forks. The highly anticipated move comes as the autocratic IslamicÂ regimeÂ faces calls to be banned from the 2012 Olympic Games in London over its refusal to field women athletes and ongoingÂ criticismÂ around the worldÂ for its overall record on women's rights. A spokesperson for the SaudiÂ governmentÂ says "We hope this gesture of goodwill today will assure our critics that the Kingdom is open to reform on all issues and is sensitive to the needs of its female population."  "There is something very unclean about a woman putting four long hard things into her mouth at once" The Saudi government has banned women from using forks since its formation in 1932 over fears that the utensil represented a threat to theÂ kingdom'sÂ conservative sexual mores. "There is something very unclean about a woman putting four long hard things into her mouth at once," explains a leading Islamic cleric close to government policymakers "When a man sees a woman putting metal with such shapes into herÂ sacredÂ orifice, he cannot help but think the most unnatural thoughts. This measure exists to prevent sexual chaos between men and women." HoweverÂ MarioÂ Santerelli, an Italian ex-patriot who runs an upscale Italian restaurant inÂ Riyadh, has a different view "I can't wait for the ban to be lifted. Its frustrating having to watch women eat pasta with a knife and spoon. Many of my customers are couples looking for aÂ romanticÂ night out. Being unable to properly eat your food kinda kills the mood." Once the ban on female fork use is lifted women will still face a variety restrictions unique to the kingdom, where the status of women is arguablyÂ analogousÂ to that of blacks in Apartheid South Africa. Â All women in Saudi Arabia are required to have a legal male guardian, barred from mixing with theÂ oppositeÂ sex in public, forced to useÂ separateÂ entrancesÂ to most buildings, and are mostÂ notoriouslyÂ banned from driving automobiles. A recent fatwa has even called for women to be required to provide breast milk to any man on demand. Take Action:Â