Last Sunday, history was made in Saudi Arabia when the recently sworn-in Shura Council, the country's consultative assembly, held its first session with 30 women appointees participating for the first time.
Thanks to a Royal Decree issued by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz earlier this year, room has now been permanently made for women to take part in advising the government on issues that matter.
While most Saudis rejoiced this historic accomplishment; the implementation of the decision was received with the contempt of some who resorted to micro-blogging site Twitter to publicly insult the recently-appointed women Shura members.
The insults to the female members made headlines last week. Derogatory terms such as "prostitutes" and "the filth of society" were used to describe Saudi Arabia's finest female academics and technocrats.
These terms are already deemed foul and derogatory when coming from the man on the street. But those behind the appalling statements were Islamic teachers and Sheikhs; a slash of irony unleashed from the men who should otherwise be preaching tolerance, respect and compassion. Whilst one doesn't expect all members society to behave in a similar manner, nor to necessarily respect the achievements of Saudi women; the idea here is that this shouldn't legitimize the public defamation and insults we have witnessed.
