Saudi Woman Travels Beyond Gender Norms

Rayyanah Barnawi broke gender and atmospheric barriers by becoming the first Saudi woman to travel into space.

NASA.

Many Middle Eastern countries have a history of imposing harsh restrictions and inequalities on women. Saudi Arabia, specifically, is known for strict dress regulations, mandatory gender segregation, and a ban on women drivers. However, many of these restrictions have recently been abolished. Regardless of culture or societal norm, no woman should be deprived of any basic functional right.

Saudi women are often trapped in an unsafe, unhealthy, and/or unjust environment because they have no money to get out. The implementation of Vision 2030, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s plan to make the economy less dependent on oil, has given women countless job opportunities in the tourism industry as border agents, tour guides, hospitality employees, and more. Creating and opening jobs to women, otherwise unemployed, can help liberate them from said environments. Not only have Saudi women been moving into the tourism industry, but also space travel.

On Sunday May 21, 2023, 34 year-old Rayyanah Barnawi became the first Saudi Arabian woman to be launched into space. She took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida and was accompanied by Saudi fighter pilot Ali Al-Qarni, as well as American commander Peggy Whitson and pilot John Shoffner. Barnawi and Al-Qarni were the first Saudis to be launched into space since the Saudi Prince in 1985, and the first Saudis ever to be sent to the International Space Station. Barnawi’s expedition is a big step forward for Saudi Arabia, considering their hyper conservative laws.

Barnawi received her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Otago, New Zealand. She then returned to Saudi Arabia, where she earned a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Alfaisal University and worked as a research technician, specializing in breast cancer and stem-cell research, according to the Hindustan Times. Barnawi plans on continuing her research during her scheduled 10-day orbit on the International Space Station. At a press conference prior to take-off, Barnawi stated she was eager to represent the Middle East in the realm of Space Travel. 

Considering their hyper-conservative tendencies, Barnawi’s expedition is a big step forward for Saudi Arabia in empowering women beyond their traditional gender roles.