Female Air Force pilot sues over Muslim clothing rule for women who leave base in Saudi Arabia

AP/Staten Island Live ^ | 12/03/01 | Staff Writer (s)

[veronica]

The Air Force's highest-ranking female fighter pilot sued on Monday to try to overturn a policy requiring servicewomen to wear restrictive Muslim clothing when off base in Saudi Arabia.

Female military personnel in Saudi Arabia must wear black head-to-foot robes called abayas and ride in the back seat when off base. They can only leave base if they are accompanied by a man.

Lt. Col. Martha McSally says the policy is unconstitutional. It discriminates against women and violates their religious freedom, forcing them to wear clothing and follow customs mandated by a religion other than their own, her lawsuit says.

McSally said the regulations undermine her authority as an officer and require her to send the false message that she believes women are subservient to men.

Servicewomen are the only federal employees based in Saudi Arabia to face such requirements, the lawsuit says.

Air Force Major Jay Steuck, a Defense Department spokesman, said he had not seen the lawsuit. The department does not comment on pending litigation, he said.

At least five senators have asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to change the policy.

The U.S. Central Command has defended it. Following local custom makes servicewomen less likely to face harassment or attack or become the subject of cultural controversy, it says.

McSally filed suit in federal court in Washington, D.C., after her complaints to her superiors failed to change the policy.

McSally, 35, was one of the first seven female Air Force fighter pilots. In the mid-1990s in Kuwait, she became the first woman in U.S. military history to fly a fighter jet in combat. Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[pistola]

You go girl!

[ken21]

i don't blame her. if i were a chick, i wouldn't wanna wear that stuff either.

unfortunately she's in the u.s. military which sets the rules. if she can change these military rules, fine. if not, she's going to hafta do what the arabs do in arabia.

[Godebert]

I don't reckon she'll make full-bird Colonel now.

[spycatcher]

This is a photo of her...

[Grut]

Following local custom makes servicewomen less likely to face harassment or attack or become the subject of cultural controversy, it says.

Oh, for Pete's sake, it's a Jim Crow law pure and simple and the AF has no more business respecting it than it would have had respecting one aimed at Black AF members back in the days of segregation.

[Poohbah]

She's a two-burqa...

[volchef]

Good for her. I'm a woman and not a big women in combat feminist or anything, but if she's got the guts to go out in street clothes then I am proud she's in our armed forces!

[gcruse]

"I'm sorry, baby. But you aren't in Kansas any more."

[caisson71]

Who did she sue? Did she sue the US or did she sue the host country? When we're in a host country, aren't we required to follow their rules? Don't they also restrict drinking off base? This doesn't make any sense.

[Poohbah]

Yeah, I mean, it's just as discriminatory as those laws forbidding the consumption of alcohol...

Last time I checked, Saudi Arabia is a sovereign country with its own laws. I wasn't aware that being an American servicemember was automatic approval to not obey the host country's laws...

[Random Access]

She is 100% right. She is there to help defend their country (and our oil) and should be treated like any other Air Force officer.

[Gracey]

Maybe it's just easier to not send our women pilots to Saudia Arabia for long duties.

[JD86]

Lt. Col. Martha McSally says the policy is unconstitutional. It discriminates against women and violates their religious freedom, forcing them to wear clothing and follow customs mandated by a religion other than their own, her lawsuit says.

To all who support this insubordination, think about it, she is on active duty, suing her change of command, c'mon!.....but the more important issue is that her demand to be the "ugly American" in a muslim country is exactly why we are hated all over the world. It's called arrogance.

[Cindy]

So, this air force pilot is in THE U.S. AIR FORCE and doesn't want to obey the rules? Doesn't this smack of conduct unbecoming an officer?

[Khepera]

Be safe

[anniegetyourgun]

While I would agree, she (and all other women who feel the same in the armed forces who are stationed there) must release all claims against the US government if something should happen to them when they flaunt the local customs. As long as they are forewarned that they might be raped, maimed or shot. If they don't want to risk that, they might want to adhere to the policy.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Let her drop a Daisey Cutter on Mecca. That'll fix'em.

[vrwconspiracist]

Ship her into Afghanistan. It's neither the time nor the place for this type of grandstanding. She displays qualities not fit for command and should be busted out on whatever grounds can be assembled.

[samtheman]

She is absolutely right to sue.