US President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday for a two day visit to discuss bilateral relations between the US and the GCC countries. Aside from inking a military deal worth over $100 billion, Trump's daughter Ivanka was the real star of the show with the hashtag #بنت_ترامب (Trump's daughter) trending top in Saudi Arabia.
Despite her father being known for his anti-Muslim stance and discriminatory travel laws targeting people from 6 different Muslim majority countries (although very conveniently excluding Saudis), Ivanka has gained herself many fans in the Kingdom.
#BREAKING Ivanka Trump is trending in Saudi Arabia with over 50k tweets and counting. #IvankaTrump #TRUMP pic.twitter.com/FNcy0yEpmI
— TheAmericanLifeStyle (@TheUSALifeStyle) May 20, 2017
Others were not so happy with the amount of attention Ivanka was recieving...
Many expressed their anger at the different standards with which Ivanka and Trump's wife Melania were being judged by Saudi society in comparison to Saudi women.
A Saudi woman went out yesterday without an Abaya or a hijab in Riyadh Saudi Arabia and many Saudis are now demanding her execution. pic.twitter.com/gPMOz5bRAr
— Anon #كلنا_ديناومريم (@dontcarebut) November 29, 2016
Last year a Saudi woman was photographed in public without hijab and faced vicious backlash and judgement as a result, with many Saudis demanding her execution. Ivanka and Melania decided not to cover their hair during the 2 day visit, although did dress conservatively for respect.
Saudi women call out the hipocrisy
Saudi women are shamed publicly if they do not abide by the Islamic dress code but white women are not. At the summit, Saudi women were not a visible sight in any of the events throughout the conference, yet Ivanka and Melania were photogrpahed shaking hands with King Salman and seemed to be actively involved in proceedings.
The mystery of the man in the red tie
#بنت_ترامب
— منى المطيري (@mona_Al1997) May 20, 2017
classic American man
I think i'm in love , pic.twitter.com/AddzfVgG2z
An unidentified member of the American delegation labelled as 'the man in the red tie' also recieved a huge amount of attention online. With one tweeter praising his 'classic American' appearance and proclaiming her love for him.
Wandering Eyes?
The media also picked up on what they claim to be 'wandering eyes' of Saudi ministers.
Their eyes :#بنت_ترامب pic.twitter.com/iE9xBlFSHY
— Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) May 20, 2017
'I bet they've never seen a real woman before' seemed to be the dominant narrative. But we wonder what the assumptions would be in Ivanka and Malenia weren't being looked at listened to? 'They aren't being treated with equal respect because they're women?'
SE
