How Fatima Buys Lingerie

I think that this is a riot: (MSNBC article)
In Saudi Arabia, only men are allowed to work in retail stores so that women should not have to work with men or deal with male customers. This rule holds true for all stores, including lingerie stores. And so Saudi women in ankle length robes and black veils have to buy their thongs and silk teddies from male sales staff. Understandably, this embarrasses everyone, including the salesmen, the female customers, and even their husbands or brothers, who often accompany the women when they go shopping "to ensure that salesmen stay respectful". The solution, of course, is to hire female sales staff, so a group of Saudi women are now organizing a boycott of lingerie stores until the stores begin to employ women.

My favorite parts of the article are these quotes:
"Even in such open regions as the U.S. and Europe, men do not sell underwear to women," said one store manager. "I don't let any of my female relatives buy underwear from men. It's just too embarrassing."
"When I buy underwear in Saudi, some salesmen say, 'This is not the right size for you,'" said one woman. "You feel almost taken advantage of. Why is he looking at me in this way?"

Oh, I am so LOLing. This is what happens when good traditional values like tznius (modesty) become corrupted by zealots. Can you imagine Hasidic women in Williamsburg or Bnei Brak buying bras and panties from salesmen sporting beards and payos becaise it's not considered tznius for women to work in stores?