Michelle Obama, touted as world's most fashionable icon recently fell victim to some unorthodox custom policing.
She was loathed for her choice to go 'de-scarf' or 'un-veiled' in and around Saudi Arabia.
Ever since US First Lady Michelle Obama stepped out on Saudi Arabian land, she was targeted for not following or respecting kingdom's custom, under which women are compelled to cover their heads.
Mrs Obama arrived with her husband and US President Barack Obama to pay condolences for Late King Abdullah; but soon after she emerged from Air Force One, Michelle was subjected to some stark reactions from around the Kingdom's unrealistic gaze.
Her photos dressed in fully coveralls standing next to her husband started making rounds on the social media, while a local channel went up to the extent of blurring her 'overall' from all the footages where she could be seen greeting South Arabian delegates.
Along with this, some of her previous images visiting holy places, like Vatican, and the Istiqlal Mosque also were doing round; comparisons between them & alleging her for being biased.
On earlier occasions, former First Ladies Laura Bush & Hilary Clinton, too turned talk of the town for their choice to ‘not-to-cover' their heads with scarves while visiting Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim countries.
It was also subjected that Mrs Obama was not prepared for this sudden visit to Saudi Arabia after her 3-day visit to India. Some Saudi bloggers even critisized her using an Arabic hash tag, which roughly meant #MichelleObamaUnveiled.
It's just a tad too much for the sake of creating issue; there are dozens of rules and customs followed in various countries around the world, but there is a line of diplomatic decency.
Once chief of protocol for the United States from 2009 to 2013, Capricia Penavic Marshall too supported Michelle Obama and had much to clarify during an interview to a leading daily.
She said, "Mrs. Obama always wanted to be briefed completely on all the cultural traditions, from food to greetings to attire, and we would prepare a detailed memo before each trip".
"These are not unilateral decisions she is making. No one just decides one day that this is what I'm going to wear. It is very carefully planned. Mrs. Obama in particular, 'likes to be well-informed', she added.
With so much uproar for Michelle's decision for choice of clothing, one must not forget that first she is not and was never grown up to follow Muslim traditions; she is the First Lady of the United States of America.
She is the wife of serving President of one of world's oldest democracy, and she isn't supposed to support rules in face of customs, where women are not given the right to wear.
Why these countries with extreme strict laws for their own women believe that those with liberal minds, belonging to Western nations particularly diplomats should adhere to their customs at the same level.
Would they let their women to comply with customary protocols while visiting Western lands?
