Oh no, I didn’t just assume. We actually had a really good conversation about it. They told me I’m far from the first, or the only, person they’ve seen nude around the house, and that they genuinely don’t care. Their attitude is basically “live and let live” as long as everyone treats them with respect and stays out of their way. They have excellent pay, working conditions, and benefits, so they’re not exactly afraid to speak up if something bothers them.

Having domestic workers is pretty common in Saudi Arabia: maids, drivers, cooks, etc. It’s not just for wealthy people, either, since these services are relatively affordable here. For example, before 2018, women weren’t allowed to drive, so many families hired private drivers to help women get around independently.

Included in the sense that Saudi law does not strictly require women to wear a hijab on public streets there, just as in Riyadh or Jeddah, yes. Culturally, however, because Mecca and Medina are the two holiest cities in Islam, virtually all local women and most female visitors will wear a hijab and abaya out of religious devotion and respect for the setting.

If there were no monarchy, it wouldn’t swing in either direction. People would just vote for the most religious and conservative candidates and keep the system exactly where it was. Saudi society isn’t really suited to liberal democracy at the moment because most people don’t actually want it. The only reason these reforms happened is because someone with enough power was able to push them through despite conservative opposition. Could a future ruler reverse some of it? Sure. But without the monarchy, I don’t think we’d have gotten these reforms at all. I’d rather take the risk of occasional backsliding than guarantee no progress whatsoever.

I’m Saudi, and honestly, if it weren’t for the monarchy, particularly the Crown Prince, we never would have seen the reforms we’ve had, at least not this quickly. The monarchy’s absolute power has been used to bypass conservative religious institutions that had stalled social progress for decades.

Because the leadership doesn’t have to navigate legislative gridlock or worry about election cycles, it can push through massive, transformative changes almost overnight: granting women the right to drive, curbing the sweeping powers of the religious police, opening the country to tourism, entertainment, and cinemas, and launching major economic reforms and giga-projects.

As a woman, I can walk around the city without covering my hair and not be bothered by anyone. Around ten years ago, I could have been arrested for that. That’s where the appeal lies for me.

I met him for the first time last March, and he proposed the following April. We spent time together and talked regularly from then until we got married, but there was always a wall between us, nothing romantic or physical. So I wouldn’t say I know him incredibly well on a personal level, since it’s only now that we’re able to interact without restrictions. I definitely like him and I’m attracted to him, but I don’t think love has really had a chance to develop yet. I have as much contact with my family and friends as I want, and I do have married friends and relatives I can talk to.