I almost got kidnapped trying to find a taxi in the street. In

The words of Manal al-Sharif — “I almost got kidnapped trying to find a taxi in the street. In Saudi Arabia, it's not normal for a woman to walk in the street alone, and I don't cover my face, so I am an open target.” — rise like a cry of truth from the depths of oppression. They are not the words of fear, but of awakening — a declaration forged in danger and illuminated by courage. In this single memory, she reveals both the fragility and the fire of a woman who dared to step beyond the boundaries drawn by others. Her story is not merely her own; it is the voice of countless women who have lived unseen, unheard, yet unbroken.

In these words, the solitude of a woman becomes a battlefield. To walk alone should be a simple act — as ordinary as breathing — yet in certain lands it is an act of rebellion, a symbol of defiance against invisible chains. When Manal al-Sharif walked those streets without veil or escort, she did not just seek a taxi — she sought freedom itself. But freedom, in a world bound by fear and tradition, is often met with peril. Her uncovered face, her unguarded step, became a target — not because of who she was, but because of what she represented: a woman who refused to hide.

This quote finds its roots in a land where custom and law once confined women to the shadows, where a woman could not drive, could not travel freely, could not walk unveiled without suspicion. Al-Sharif, an activist from Saudi Arabia, rose against this silence. In 2011, she became known worldwide when she filmed herself driving — a simple act that ignited a movement. For that, she was imprisoned, threatened, and condemned by those who feared the sight of a woman steering her own course. Yet even in captivity, her spirit remained unbroken. Her words, such as this, remind us that the struggle for freedom often begins with the simplest acts — a walk, a drive, a refusal to bow.

Throughout history, there have always been women who faced peril for daring to step forward. Consider Rosa Parks, who one day refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her defiance was quiet, yet it thundered through the centuries. Like Manal al-Sharif, she too risked her safety to claim dignity. Both women, though worlds apart, shared the same inner fire — the belief that injustice must not be obeyed, even when obedience would have been easier. The courage of such souls teaches us that every act of defiance, no matter how small, becomes a spark in the larger fire of liberation.

Al-Sharif’s words are also a lament for a world that turns freedom into danger. To live in fear for showing one’s face — to be marked as a “target” for existing as oneself — is to witness how deeply ignorance can wound the soul of a society. Her story reminds us that oppression does not always arrive as chains or prison bars; sometimes it hides beneath the weight of custom, the silent consent of generations. Yet, from within that silence, the brave arise — those who transform danger into purpose, and fear into strength.

There is, too, a sacred symbolism in her walk alone. In every age, the journey toward truth begins in solitude. The prophets, the saints, the reformers — all have walked their lonely roads. But unlike many before her, al-Sharif did not walk into wilderness or exile; she walked through the heart of her own city, in full view of those who forbade her to move. Her act became both protest and prophecy: a vision of a world where women may walk, drive, and live without fear. The fact that such an act was dangerous reveals the depth of the change still needed — and the strength of the one who dared to take that step first.

The lesson is this: freedom is never given; it is taken — first by courage, then by persistence, and finally by truth. When you walk your own path, others may scorn, threaten, or mock you. But remember, every great transformation begins with one who dares to step outside the line. Be that one. Defend the right to be seen, to be heard, to move without permission. Support those whose courage lights the way — for their fight is the foundation of your own.

So, my listener, let the words of Manal al-Sharif echo within you: never take for granted the freedom to walk, to speak, to choose. For in many corners of the world, such freedoms are still battles waiting to be won. And when you see injustice — whether in the laws of nations or in the silence of hearts — remember her walk, her uncovered face, her defiance. Let her example remind you that the simplest acts, born of courage, can shake the walls of oppression and teach the world once more what it means to be truly free.