media, it is not easy for her to develop, because all matters should be under the agreement of her father.
Michelle was officially made a producer of the program. Then she got her own show to produce. They asked her to be the on-air presenter, but
Michelle’s father refused to allow her to host a show that would be broadcast in the homes of his relatives in Saudi Arabia Al-Sanea, 2005:
207
Even though they are no longer living in Saudi Arabia but the strong patriarchal system is still influencing their life. She is not allowed to be the on-air presenter
for her own program because the program will be aired in Saudi Arabia. If her face happens to occur on TV, bad rumors about her will definitely spread.
3. Discrimination in Law
Not only Gamrah and Michelle, one of their friends, Sadeem also experience a discrimination. On the day of her official marriage ceremony, during
the official proceeding when the marriage contract is about to be signed, Sadeem can only put her fingerprint on the contract. Even though Sadeem insists to also
put her signature, she is still not allowed. Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to put their signature on any officials letters, it is only men who can have their
signatures on such papers. During the official proceedings Sadeem pressed her fingerprint onto the
page in the enormous registry book after her protest about not being allowed to sign her name was dismissed. “My girl,” said her aunt, “just
stamp it with your fingerprint and call it a day. The sheikh says fingerprint, not signature. The men are the only ones who sign their
names.” Al-Sanea, 2005: 30
After Sadeem and Waleed are legally married, another unexpected problem occurs that really breaks Sadeem’s heart. She is asked to get divorced by
Waleed. In Saudi Arabia tradition, a man and a woman is officially married after
they sign their marriage contract, yet, they still cannot live together until the wedding celebration is held. During the time before the wedding celebration is
held, Waleed always comes to visit Sadeem every day, he will come at night or afternoon and will go home at dawn. One day in his regular visit to Sadeem,
Sadeem decides to give herself to Waleed and they have an intimate relationship for the first time, despite the fact that their wedding celebration has not been
conducted yet. The next day, Waleed disappears and stop contacting Sadeem. She is dying to know what happens but all she got in return is a divorce paper.
Sadeem was afloat in a state of bewilderment, waiting for a call or visit from Waleed, dreaming that he would come to her on his knees begging
for forgiveness. But he didn’t visit and he didn’t call. Her father asked her what was wrong, but she had no answer for him. An answer did come
from Waleed three weeks later, though: divorce papers Al-Sanea, 2005: 34-35.
In Saudi Arabia, a man can easily divorce a woman without explanation, but for a woman, she has to go to court and give the cause of why she asks to get divorce to
the judges. Such discrimination makes women always be in a difficult condition, because they are seems insignificant.
4. Discrimination in Politics
