R u a woman?? Never wait in long queues!!

[Orignally Posted September 10 2005]

Saudi Women Enjoy Special Treatment in Men’s Sections
Ebtihal Mubarak, Arab News

JEDDAH, 10 September 2005 — “No, don’t go to the bank that has the women’s section; drive to the other branch that only has a men’s section,” Sarah told her driver.
Her behavior is not unusual. For an increasing number of Saudi women, it’s actually preferred. They claim that they get better services at men’s sections at banks, restaurants and airports to name a few. No matter how crowded a place or how long the queue, women often are served first.
“They treat me like a princess at the bank’s men’s section,” Sarah said.
She told Arab News that as she sets foot in the bank, everyone offers help. The security guard asks what kind of service she wants and then personally guide her to the employee in charge. That employee will then motion to her to step up and ignore the queue. He will politely finish her request in a matter of seconds. She said that wouldn’t be the case in the women’s sections.
“Although women’s sections aren’t as crowded as the men’s, I usually spend more time there,” she said. “They’re very bureaucratic and obsessed with paperwork.”
Saudi men, on the other hand, find such attitudes unfair and obvious discrimination. They contend that as women demand equality, they should be treated as equal as the men in all matters. “They shouldn’t be given such privileges,” said an angry fast-food customer.
He said he could be driving in the heat for an hour and wait in the restaurant queue for about 20 minutes to buy his lunch while a woman sitting in the back seat of her car can just step in the restaurant and buy whatever she wants in a matter of seconds.
“If that isn’t discrimination, I don’t know what is,” he said.
Women who enjoy the special treatment don’t think of it as a privilege.
“It’s just an attitude that some men practice out of courtesy all over the world,” one woman said.
Most women asked by Arab News said if they were offered such help they would certainly accept it. “Most of the time we don’t demand to be served first,” one said. “If we have the chance why not?”

Courtesy: Arab News

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Now only if this country was not segrated, women wouldnt be enjoying this kind of previllage. The good thing is.. that i can always send a women to bank to pay my bill and guranteed she will be done in a matter of second opposed to me myself goin there and waiting hour or two in queue.