Saudis reluctant to marry women in mixed jobs

ABHA: Many Saudi working women are aware that it is quite difficult to get married if they are in mixed jobs especially in the medical and media fields. Society still denies the most basic rights to those who have reached high positions in their jobs.
Matchmaker Um Talal said that she has detected a number of cases in which men refuse to marry women who work in mixed fields. Despite the fact that some of these men were highly educated, they still reject a woman working in such fields, claiming that they prefer a woman who has a job as a teacher or in any other "female sector."
Um Talal claimed that the largest percentage of single women is among doctors and nurses since most proposing men seek women who are neither doctors nor nurses.
Director of the Human Development Center Abdullah Al-Salman said: “This subject requires thorough research based on these cases. It is rather difficult to build a personal conclusion based on one or two cases.”
Saudi men say they are reluctant to marry doctors, nurses and journalists due to the nature of their careers and their odd hours of working. The woman is the backbone of every household. Men fear that if they marry a doctor or a nurse, she would constantly be weary and wouldn’t have time for family.
Riyadh newspaper journalist Miriam Al-Jabir said: “Journalists are not spinsters, they are singles. It is not a flaw if a man refuses to marry a successful woman. We should not blame him for his choice. Besides, there are many Saudi journalists who are married before and after their careers.”
Family and community consultant at King Khalid University Khalid Jalban said that a man fears the absence of a woman. Such career paths require hard working hours and an understanding man. However, many women have proven that they are capable of keeping up with such pressure and that they are capable of holding high positions in their jobs through the support of their families.
Private sector employee Nora Al Ali said, “Many of those who proposed to me were reluctant when they found out the nature of my job. Arab men, especially Saudis, still refuse to accept these kinds of jobs for women.”
Abu Khalid said: “I don’t mind if a woman works unless her work requires her to deal with men. This can lead her to get harassed.”
Faisal Al-Ghamdi said: “We prefer our life partners to be employed so that she can help us with tough living circumstances. However, I wouldn’t allow my wife to work directly with men.”
Private sector employee Ahlam Al-Juhni said: “Men reject their wives to be working as salespersons because it requires dealing with men.”
Maha Al-Shamri said: “The main reason why men won’t get attached to a nurse or a doctor is because she deals with patients. Many of them consider that this is close to being a maid. The phenomenon of spinsterhood among doctors and nurses is becoming more evident. We should find the right solutions through showing support and portraying the real image of this career.”