No Scarf For Michelle Obama At Saudi Funeral

[icyfroth]

Barack Obama was in Riyadh on Tuesday to pay his respects to the late Saudi King Abdullah.

His visit, for which he cut short a much-hyped trip to India, underscores how important the U.S.-Saudi relationship remains to the American leadership.

On social media, however, much of the attention has focused on something else: His wife's attire.

As noted by the Associated Press, Michelle Obama did not wear a headscarf or veil Tuesday. In Saudi Arabia, that's unusual: The country is one of the few on Earth where women are expected to cover their heads, and most Saudi women wear niqabs.

Exceptions are made for foreigners, however, and Michelle — who did wear loose clothing that fully covered her arms — appears to have been one of them.

In photographs from the official events, other foreign female guests are also shown not wearing headscarves.

More than 1,500 tweets using the hashtag #ميشيل_أوباما_سفور (roughly, #Michelle_Obama_immodesty) were sent Tuesday, many of which criticized the first lady. Some users pointed out that on a recent trip to Indonesia, Michelle had worn a headscarf. Why not in Saudi Arabia?

Entire Article Here

I think that's disrespectful. Especially at a funeral.

[vicr3000]

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@paintsew007 wrote:

....but behind the scenes the Saudis would not respect their choice to not wear a scarf. Just saying.

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Well said.

[***super_nova***]

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@am*3 wrote:

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@debra9275 wrote:

yes a blow up over nothing......  as a western woman she was not expected to cover up, so she didn't... so what??

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We know it was her right not to cover up and not necessarily expected of her as a Western woman. 

It would've been good etiquette though and a show of good manners and courtesy from Mrs President of the USA.

That's all.

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Her choice not to. I don't think she would be worried about a few in Australia that didn't approve of her choice.

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A.  She wore modest dres covering her arms and the accepted style and length

B.  Why do you think that she decides what to wear for such occasions?  Everything is choreographed to the slightest detail.  As none of the other western women there wore  scarf, it was obviously OK not to wear it. 

[lloydslights]

Most of the dignitaries were not at the actual Funeral.  The photos must be from the Royal Function following the death of the King.

Having researched Saudi Funeral Customs, I came upon this information......

The king, who ascended to the throne in 2005 but had been de-facto ruler for a decade before that, was buried Friday afternoon in an unmarked grave after a prayer service in the capital Riyadh. The Muslim-only funeral was attended by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the rulers of Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

In line with the Wahhabi interpretation of Islamic tradition observed in the kingdom, he was buried in an unadorned, beige cloth without a coffin in an unmarked grave. There was no memorial service.

Heads of state and royals from around world will instead be visiting Saudi Arabia over the coming days to pay their respects in meetings with Saudi royals. Powerful heads of tribes, as well as average Saudi citizens, will also meet the new king to give their condolences and express pledges of loyalty to him.

The visits are taking place in the king's dewaniya in Riyadh, a traditional Arab reception area to receive guests.

Full Article Here:   http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/dignitaries-head-saudi-arabia-king-abdullahs-death-284...

I submit this only as an interest piece, 

DEB

[debra9275]

after doing a bit more reading on it, I think you hit the nail on the head DEB when you said she may have been making a statement. 

As Nova pointed out too, what she wore would've been pre determined by her staff anyway. I do think having the arms covered was one of the important things.

Paints, she and other female dignitaries  wouldn't be walking around, so they wouldn't come across that

[grumpy*cat*rocks]

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@dskracing wrote:

If exceptions are made for foreigners...then she is not being disrespectful...she is exercising her right not to wear a head covering

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I agree.

There were other women also there without head covering so why all the focus on Michelle Obama?

Because she is the wife of the President of the USA?

If the other women who were also present were not wearing scarves then to me there is no point to the backlash Michelle Obama has copped. Would have been completely different if she'd was the only one not wearing head covering.