The head of the Extracurricular Activities Department in the Ministry of Education, Girls Section, had said that physical exercise “does not suit females.” The official, who began her job four months ago, said that exercise is not one of the department’s priorities. She went on to support the official line taken by the Ministry of Education which is that physical education should not be allowed in girls’ schools and in fact that girls are not interested in it.
According to the Saudi Arabian ministry official, physical education and exercise are not compatible with girls’ natures. Their efforts should be directed to enriching their minds and preparing for their future roles as mothers and housewives. The ministry official stated that there were religious doubts concerning the clothing girls would wear during such classes if they did exist, and she added that even if girls were allowed to take such classes, they would not benefit from them because their bodies are not built for exercise, unlike the bodies of boys and men. One wonders if this woman lives in the modern world at all.