Vogue cover featuring Saudi princess behind the wheel sparks online outrage
DUBAI: A Vogue cover photo of a Saudi princess behind the wheel of a red convertible has ignited heated debate, as it follows a slew of arrests of women driving activists.
The image of Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah al-Saud, in the driver’s seat wearing leather gloves and high heels, is on the front cover of Vogue Arabia’s June edition, published as the conservative kingdom prepares to lift a driving ban on women.
The issue is dedicated to the “trailblazing women of Saudi Arabia” and lauds the reforms launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to loosen social restrictions in the conservative kingdom and curb the powers of religious hardliners.
“In our country, there are some conservatives who fear change. For many, it’s all they have known,” Princess Hayfa, the daughter of the late King Abdullah, was quoted as saying in the magazine.
“Personally, I support these changes with great enthusiasm,” added the princess, whose cover photo was shot in the desert outside the western city of Jeddah.
But Twitter saw some major backlash to the cover.
What a shameful insensitive cover! Did you know that KSA put women rights activists in jail last week? So HRH the princess can drive a car, it's okay, everything is cool in the kingdom, and let @LoujainHathloul and friends burn in hell? Shame on you Vogue Arabia and Mr. Arnaut!
— Sanaa (@Sanaalkhoury) May 30, 2018
Hi Vogue Arabia, I fixed it for you! pic.twitter.com/HdY0Fxrv9Z
— إسقاطية (@ItzVXII) May 30, 2018
#Saudi - Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah Al Saud shown behind the wheel on the cover of Vogue Arabia's June 2018 issue - the kingdom's ban on women driving will be overturned on June 24 Courtesy Vogue Arabia - why a princess & not ordinary female? pic.twitter.com/vkyTStx2q1
— مارك (@Saudi_Bodyguard) May 30, 2018
You've got to be kidding me. A princess graces the cover of next month's Vogue Arabia while @azizayousef @Saudiwoman @LoujainHathloul and other activist women who have worked tirelessly to lift driving ban languish in jail pic.twitter.com/gEmXh8sTHL
— Bethan McKernan (@mck_beth) May 31, 2018
We wish that @VogueAlArabiya would dare to write a report with a title and photo of the activists on the cover, who have been jailed because of their demands of driving a car, and for their other demands of women rights too.#FreeSaudiActivists #FreeSaudiWomen @voguemagazine https://t.co/HdHdoxLAgv
— Amani AlEssa (@AmaniAuz) May 30, 2018
Is Vogue Arabia celebrating the wrong Saudi women?
— Osha Mahmoud (@Osha001) May 31, 2018
While the Saudi women who campaigned for the driving ban could face the death penalty, this Saudi Princess is on the magazine cover and being celebrated as "trailblazing" https://t.co/hsfW4dYdrJ
When I said Vogue Arabia needs to feature more ethnic Arabs on their covers - this is not what I meant. pic.twitter.com/djUbhDKBi3
— Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) May 31, 2018
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