Military Ends Saudi Dress Rule
The U.S. military, in a policy reversal, will no longer require servicewomen in Saudi Arabia to wear Muslim-style head-to-toe robes when venturing off base.
Instead, wearing the robe, known as an abaya, “is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged,” according to an order by Gen. Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, sent to commanders in the region Saturday.
The Air Force’s highest-ranking female fighter pilot challenged the rule. Lt. Col. Martha McSally’s lawsuit calls the policy unconstitutional and says it improperly forces American women to conform to others’ religious and social customs.
The lawsuit did not inspire the policy change, a Central Command spokesman said Tuesday.
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