[Rook]

What most westerners seem to Omit, and I find this rather interesting..
Muslim Men have their "Modesty" rules as well..
I believe it was Enchantress who mentioned working rights, and Land owning plus Driving in womyn's case....
I love that part, it's VERY convenient for so-called Religious men to go Blank on these little tidbits for womyn, which is another reason why I ignore their Rantings, they claim out of one corner of the Mouth to Follow the Prophets example, and through the other corner they pick and choose whats good for their own purposes.
Not all men are this way, but, unfortunately the ones who Do this, are often in a position of "Power"
Thankfully, in some Islamic countries, womyn are given certain amount of Power, mostly because of who their Family is/was {Bhutto for example}, even then, they're not Immune to fundamentalists Twisting Islam for their own convenience, but then, from what I've studied, Islam isn't the only "Organized Religion" to do this...
Whether western Feminism chooses to agree/Accept this portion in History or Not, or are a bit uneducated in the matter is a bit distressing, but easy to shrug off considering how....prejudiced some Feminists are..not All..just..Some..
Islam has mandated since the early 7th Century certain rights for Womyn..
Take for instance, Marriage..
A womyn must consent to Any marriage contract, or refuse..yes, contract...piece of paper, specifics on what the bride must do, and Not do, Likewise for the Husband..in said contract if the Bride is rather young, the Husband *if the father of the Bride is knowledgeable he'll push this part* cannot touch the Bride until she reaches their country's age of consent {this lil part is mostly when the marriage is pure politics}..
If she's quiet, that's an automatic consent to the marriage...
She also has had Inheritance rights long before the suffragists marched.
She can work out of the House, and her wages are hers and only hers to use as she deems fit, within reason.
She can also divorce {it's slightly more difficult than a man's ability*he only needs 4 witnesses and say "I divorce you" 3 times*, but she can}
In Islam, a womyn has the same right to Education as a Man {That shit they pulled in Afghanistan is a crock}.
I'll take it a Step further...
The Prophets 1st wife, Khadijah was a very Prosperous businesswomyn...
At the time, he simply tagged along, he did learn a lot from her as well..
After Khadijah's death, he remarried...a few times..the best example I can give is Aisha bint Abu Bakr, she was Perfect, Mother of all Muslims, and also the cause and root for many critics against Islam..
Her age is irrelevant, given 3 reasons...
a} Although the marriage contract was signed, she stayed with her Family for a few years before the Prophet took her to his dwellings...
b} If he were to have traumatized her in any way, she wouldn't be devoted, she wouldnt be loyal, and yeah Abu Bakr would've probably broken any ties with him.
c} During those times? the age she had was a common age to marry, that doesn't mean it's proper even then, but almost every society has their own structures, what one thinks is Heinous and Appalling, to the other it's perfectly normal..
Unfortunately some pervs like to use this for their own gain w/o actually bothering with the Political purpose and conditions for her Marriage.
She is known as a well-versed Scholar, the Legit source of many Hadith and she was a helluva Warrior, for the most part.She led the armies at one point in the Dispute of Succession, which to this Very day Separates Sunni's from Shi'a.{the division between Sunni and Shi'a is almost purely Political}

My point?
Just because the womyn's veiled doesn't always mean she's Oppressed.
I've seen Niqaabi nurses, Lawyers, Teachers...
Their Hijab can tell you their Status in the Community {Political, royalty, Tribal, etc}, but that's mostly the cultural side.
In some cases & I have found this very curious...
I've seen veiled Athletes, in the Olympics....
I do agree though about the Driving issue in Saudiya...Let's see if you can see why...
Imagine a woman, fully veiled..Burqah, Niqaab, Abaya..etc...
Behind the wheel, very fast Truck {I dont think Saudi has enforced speed limits last I checked, I could be wrong, don't hold my word as Gospel}, probably windows Down since a/c is busted {and she lives in the desert!!!}
Yes she can see thru that Mesh, or thru the Slits in the material....
What about the rest of the Flowing, Billowing cloth that flaps in the winds wake?....
Believe me, I've tested this in the U.S., I took a friend, she was modestly dressed...
At 15 MPH, she was already fighting with her Hijab {partial veil}, pinning it somehow behind her head...
At 45 MPH?...windows down?...Highway?..I was pretty much praying, hoping we didn't encounter a Mac Truck, or 5-0.
BEGGED her to park at the rest stop, and remove her outter garments if she wanted me to sit next to her again....ever.

I agree wholeheartedly with Enchantress..
All these "Oppressive" actions to stifle women from Education, Jobs, Land, and Status in some countries is just one more way to shout all over the world {Including Islamic} "I got a tiny Winky, my sister pissed me off, and my mother allowed my father to fill my head with horseshit & tales of easy women."
Btw, Female circumcision is purely Cultural under the false guise of Islam...
Besides, men, for the most part also have to wear a masculine type "Veil", or at the Least a skullcap... their shirts have to be a certain length...
And if they wear shorts, it must cover the Knees a lil..
don't believe me?
Check out most of the Saudi royal Men {they're not wearing that to brag about the status, mostly...I say mostly cuz some will happily wear elaborate Thobes, but then..they're filthy rich}, The king of Jordan, Syria, most of the Middle East... and yeah, check out Qaddafi..
Try touching their "veil" {keffiyeh}...u might as well stuff your hand down the backside of their pants and smile with a camera "say cheese !!!"
It's almost as much Cultural as Religious....

However, I will say this...
Just because they're Veiled..And appear modest..?
doesn't really mean they are.
You can be Modest/Devoted/spiritual and wear every day clothes compared to how some behave.

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty......And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms...." (Quran 24:30,31).