Michelle Obama Makes A Statement Heard Around The World In Saudi Arabia

The world’s leaders convened in Saudi Arabia this week after the death of King Abdullah, who passed away at the age of 90.

President Obama and the First Lady cut short their trip to India to pay their respects to the Saudi royal but it was Michelle’s outfit that garnered the most attention.

FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States), who has been lauded by fashion critics since her move into the White House in 2009, wore a black and blue trouser suit to stand alongside her husband, but declined to cover her head with a scarf – the traditional attire expected of women in the country.

Michelle’s wardrobe did not go unnoticed and many pundits have been quick to point out her refusal to comply with the principles of hijab, which are strictly enforced in many Middle Eastern countries.

The lack of a scarf did not go unnoticed thanks to the creation of the #Michelle_Obama_Immodest and #Michelle_Obama_Not_Veiled hashtags on Twitter.

This was not a case of a cultural faux pas – Michelle’s uncovered head was a clear message to a country where women cannot legally drive or appear in public without a man.

The irony that her husband had just delivered a speech on the importance of women’s rights in India clearly was not lost on the First Lady, who has garnered much attention over the last six years for her sometimes entertaining, always noteworthy facial expressions at official events.

As an extremely well educated woman - a Doctorate in Law from Harvard University, no less - Michelle clearly has strongly informed opinions.

The hypocrisy of leaders such as Obama and David Cameron lamenting the death of a leader of a country where in 2015 women have only just been given the right to vote has been a bone of contention for many.

Here in the UK, political leaders such as Cameron and Ed Miliband were falling over themselves to offer their condolences to the royal family of a country with the world’s second largest oil reserves and an important ally in the Middle East.

Flags flew at half-mast at Buckingham Palace this week to commemorate the passing of a king who has kept four of his daughters under house arrest for the last 13 years for denouncing the state of human rights in Saudi Arabia.

Usually, dissecting the outfit choices of female politicians and public figures is a reductive and insulting practice but in this instance it bears noting.

What do you think of Michelle's decision not to wear a headscarf? Let us know in the comments below

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