German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Saudi Arabia without wearing a headscarf for meetings with King Salman on Sunday, following in the footsteps of other female leaders who also have refused to wear a head covering.
Theresa May, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama also did not wear headscarves while visiting Saudi Arabia, viewing the garment as a sign of oppression of women. In Saudi Arabia, women live under a strict public dress code including full length robes and covering their hair.
While in Saudi Arabia, Merkel reportedly spoke to King Salman about human rights and the country's treatment of women, according to The Telegraph.
“I have the impression that the country is in a phase of change and that a lot more is possible now than some years ago, but it’s still a long way from having achieved what we would understand as equality,” Merkel said, Fox News reported.
Merkel has not visited Saudi Arabia in seven years. She recently said the wearing of burkas should be outlawed in Germany whenever possible because it keeps Muslim women from assimilating into German society.
Twitter was mostly supportive of Merkel and appreciated her support for women’s rights.
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