Read on Twitter
Thread addressing @LETgolf and this article:
The question to this opinion piece - is YES - Saudi Arabia IS using the LET to hide their crimes against humanity. They have done this countless times and will continue to sports-wash continued human rights abuses. /1 @LinaAlhathloul https://twitter.com/Women_and_Golf/status/1318973494751875073
The question to this opinion piece - is YES - Saudi Arabia IS using the LET to hide their crimes against humanity. They have done this countless times and will continue to sports-wash continued human rights abuses. /1 @LinaAlhathloul https://twitter.com/Women_and_Golf/status/1318973494751875073
Golf has not ‘suddenly’ found itself at the centre of a human rights debate - A decision was made for LET to be held in Saudi Arabia. I’m guessing that LET failed to do any due diligence on exploring what the implications of this would be... /2 @alia_ww @WalidAlhathloul @hrw
The framing from LET as ‘we were unaware’ is odd (but not unsurprising) as the news of Loujain and other defenders and the reality they face in prison has been in the news for the past three years. Many including @MayaOppenheim (tagged in OP) have reported on the situation. /3
The section on Women and Saudi Arabia is missing a whole heap of information. Namely: Women who fought for the right to drive like Loujain are in prison since May 2018. They have been tortured, sexually assaulted and placed in solitary confinement and no fair trial process. /4
It’s great to hear that Mel (from the article) is talking a stand - however it’s not the culture that is in the wrong here - it is the Saudi Kingdom and #MBS who are making the decisions to dismember journalists and torture and imprison Women’s Activists. /5
If the Saudi Kingdom would allow civil society to participate in the fight for their equal, the « culture » as the author calls it, could change. But that’s not what the kingdom of Saudi Arabia wants. We know this because of even more women arrested - /6 https://twitter.com/khuludsa/status/1318992232423346176?s=21
That golfer’s arguments around playing centre around the fact that it is their job to play golf and nothing more shows the extreme privilege that these golfers have. @LoujainHathloul was not a politician - she was a woman who was fighting for collective rights for all women. /7
This excuse of not being involved in politics is housed in your privilege. The political is not personal to those who have the privilege to choose to ignore the impact of politics on human rights. /8
And for this statement, “By letting successful sportswomen showcase what they can do in Saudi Arabia, we'll be helping to inspire, empower and uplift their women….” Let’s be really clear here - Saudi women don’t need uplifting from anyone else, especially white saviours. /9
Saudi Women have amazing women like Loujain, Samar, Nassima, and many more fighting for Saudi women’s rights. However because of #MBS they have been deliberately silenced. @LETgolf Empower them by using your power and demanding their freedom. #FreeSaudiActivists /10
And this: It’s also worth noting that the tournament is allowing the girls to wear mid-calf or three-quarter length “cut-away” trousers and short-sleeved polo shirts.
Hooray for you-however thanks to male guardianship Saudi women do not have this right. #EndMaleGuardianship /11
Hooray for you-however thanks to male guardianship Saudi women do not have this right. #EndMaleGuardianship /11
If Saudi women do not obey the laws of their male guardian - they get sent to prison where they are flogged. /12 https://twitter.com/1Siwa__/status/1318654053287628800
In fact no one in this video promoting @Golf_Saudi is wearing shorts. So your claim that your ability to wear shorts in this tournament somehow signals a sign of empowerment for Saudi Women is white feminism at its finest. /13 https://twitter.com/LETgolf/status/1318929434955612160
Final points: In your article you note - “Prior to last week, you could suggest that some of the players were simply unaware of how brutal the Saudi regime is” HOW HARD IS A GOOGLE SEARCH?? Literally type in Saudi Arabia and you get pages of published articles on the reality./14
@LETgolf you are participating in Sports-washing and this sign-off is horrid: "Whatever happens, we can only hope for a brighter future for the women of Saudi Arabia. If golf is able to contribute towards this progress, that's just an added bonus." /15
@LETGolf and players: You cannot absolve yourself of your decision to support a regime so brutal that it tortures the very women that led the reforms this kingdom so publicly touts.
I stand by @LinaAlhathloul's request: Boycott the @LETGolf Saudi Tournament. #FreeSaudiActivists
I stand by @LinaAlhathloul's request: Boycott the @LETGolf Saudi Tournament. #FreeSaudiActivists
Adding @SandraMesrine's tweet to this thread #FollowTheMoney @LETgolf and stand in solidarity with @LinaAlhathloul #BoycottTheTournament. https://twitter.com/SandraMesrine/status/1319206188102373378
