Last week we had one of our male friends over for dinner. We’re all just talking about the week and I mention something work related. He then asks me if there is a women’s restroom on the floor of the office building I work in. You might be thinking, “That’s a random and ridiculous question! Why wouldn’t there be a women’s restroom at your office?”
Keep in mind, women working in KSA is still a novelty. If you didn’t read my post on my first STC client visit you may not have caught that the handful of women who work at STC headquarters all sit in a separate building as there are no women’s facilities in most buildings on campus. The meeting I attended was held at the Executive Club, which is a pretty large building intended to host large conference style meetings. In this building there was only one women’s restroom with two stalls. There was also no direct way to get to this bathroom from the side of the building I was in, so I had to exit the building and walk through another entrance.
In a NYTimes article about what it’s like being an American businesswoman working in KSA, an architect shares her story of what it was like trying to use the restroom while visiting a client’s office with no ladies’ rooms. Someone would walk her back to her hotel when she had to go, which wasted about 15 minutes each time, until she asked that they convert one of the executive’s private restrooms for her use when she was on the office.
Faisaliah Tower, where Starcom is located, is one of the most posh office locations in Riyadh. The other is Kingdom Tower. The tenants are international companies, with some Western men and women now working in them. On our floor we share space with a handful of other global companies. There is only ONE ladies' room…no stalls. I’m certain it was converted from an executive restroom. The building was built in 2000, long before anyone could fathom women working in this country. It’s bizarre to think that there was once a conversation about the restroom situation, as women began working, and the need convert a space for women to use.
Which brings me to the humorous impetus for this post. Before I went to the Lazurde meeting a couple weeks ago R, my only female colleague, warned me that there is no women’s restroom at the client’s office and to make sure I use the one at the office before leaving. Wait a minute, this is a luxury WOMEN’S jewelry company. How are there NO restrooms for women? And why aren’t any women working for this company?! I didn’t actually ask her these rhetorical questions. This woman has been dealing with this wackadoodleness of women being second class people her entire life.
Since moving to Riyadh I drink a LOT more water, 2 liters before I even leave our villa. This meeting came up last minute, and even though I stopped drinking as soon as she told me about the bathroom situation, I was worried. We left at 10, the meeting was supposed to begin at 11, but of course started late waiting on other people to arrive. I had to pee as soon as we got there but didn’t say anything, unsure of how the client would react. By noon I was so uncomfortable. I said to R, “I really need to use the restroom.” She leaned over to the more junior client and whispered to him.
The client was really kind and smiled at me before he got up to walk out of the conference room with me, through a security door and to the corridor. Being a jewelry maker there is a lot of security in the building. We can’t just hang in the halls without an escort. He asked me to wait a moment while he spoke with security. I’m thinking, what does security have to do with me using the restroom? He pops into a room, speaking Arabic and comes back out, telling me it’s OK and walks me to the men’s room. HOORAY! I have never felt so relieved. And a part of me got a kick out of being haram and breaking the rules. When I exited the men’s room I was surprised no one was standing directly outside the door, ensuring no one entered while I was in there. I didn’t give it a second thought as the security guard quickly came out of his office and escorted me back to the conference room.
After the meeting, on our way back to the office, R asks me about the experience. She then proceeds to tell me the last time a women used the men's room, the security guard sent an email to the entire company letting everyone know that there was a woman in the men’s room and not to use it until an email was sent stating that it was clear! I love the lack of discretion. It would have been easier for him to stand next to the door for the minute that I was in there, but whatever. Before coming to KSA this situation never have crossed my mind! I wish I was creative and funny enough to think it up on my own, but I couldn't possibly make this stuff up never having experienced it. It's made possible by our cultural differences. Good and bad, it's the uniqueness of this country and it's customs that gives me material to write about. I just hope next time to I get more a of a heads-up before the meeting so I can limit my liquid intake.