First Lady’s Visit to Saudi Arabia Sends Strong Message About Women
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State Dept photo(RIYADH, Saudi Arabia) — In a country where women have few rights, first lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday seemed to lead by example.
The pictures say it all.
There she was, standing side-by-side with her husband as he stepped off Air Force One in Riyadh Tuesday, where, during a brief visit, the president offered condolences for the recent death of King Abdullah and met with his successor, King Salman.
The first lady accompanied the president throughout the stay, embodying some of the reforms that her husband is pushing the country to adopt.
Wearing pants and her head uncovered, Mrs. Obama stood dutifully beside her husband as he shook hands with the Saudi delegation on the airport tarmac Tuesday morning and again at Erga Palace on the outskirts of Riyadh.
At times she reached out to shake an occasional hand, but mostly she stood back and offered just a smile.
According to reporters traveling with the president, due to the cultural constraints, the first lady purposely stood slightly behind her husband and waited for a gesture to be made to her by the men in the receiving line. If one of the men initiated a handshake, she returned; if not, then she simply smiled or nodded politely.
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