Saudi woman criticizes religious authorities on Gulf ‘pop idol’ equivalent 20, March 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Saudi Arabia.Tags: Gulf pop idol, Poet of Millions, Saudi woman poet, Woman poet of millions controversy, Women in Saudi Arabia
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The New York Times has picked up on the fuss in Abu Dhabi caused by a Saudi woman’s poetry on the Gulfy equivalent of Pop Idol. The woman, pictured, is now in the final of ‘Poet of Millions’ TV show and has been attacking clerics in Saudi for “terrorizing people and preying on everyone seeking peace.” The fact that such a show criticizing if not ridiculing certain Saudi religious authorities is being televised region-wide to such a large audience has enraged many in Saudi. This is obviously made infinitely worse by the fact that such notions are being espoused by a woman when everyone knows they should be neither seen nor heard. And yes, people have called for her death. I expect the first fatwa forthwith.
The Gulf blog 
[…] throughout the Middle East after a Saudi women – Hissal Hilal – won through to the final with controversial, politically and socially based poetry. Specifically, she heavily – if eloquently – […]