Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Saudi woman barber brushes off taboo

Saudi woman barber brushes off taboo

A Saudi children’s hair stylist has become the first woman to break into the profession, which has long been an exclusively male domain.
Wafaa Sakr, who appeared in a viral video inside a barber shop in Taif, said she styles children’s hair, but does not cut men’s hair.

She said the salon, inside a Taif mall, has been closed due to the non-renewal of its license, but will soon resume its activities after renewal by the local municipality.

Sakr has worked as a hair stylist for many years and saw in her work a great importance in caring for people, especially children, “whose hearts are filled with real happiness after seeing their haircut, which can paint a permanent smile on their faces.”

Known as the Taif barber, she said her presence as a female barber is a new phenomenon, and sometimes unwelcome by a society used to seeing women in government jobs, like teaching or nursing.

Saudi society has not realized that women can work in all fields with competence and efficiency, she said.

“My profession made my life a state of constant challenge with myself, especially since I have been a professional hairdresser for many years,” she told Arab News.

The job became a source of income for her and her family and she excelled in creating modern looks for young boys and girls, which eventually forged her reputation as the best barber in Taif.

“I feel happy and proud that I, as a Saudi woman, broke into the labor market. I did not wait for a job to knock on my door. Any person can create jobs, develop them and hold on to them, and it is an honorable profession,” she said.

“I am still practicing this profession for a monthly income in return, but I am thinking of establishing my own business that I manage myself in the future. If a person has ambition, no one will be able to stand in their way. What is important is taking steps to reach our goals instead of backing down,” she added.

Sakr said she disagreed with the sentiment that Saudi women should not be “forced” to work certain jobs.

“Why not? The doors to livelihood are open in all fields, and people should not be ashamed of their profession, as long as they practice it, love it and it generates an income for them,” she said.

“Some ideas must change. We are going through a dramatic era in which energies and competencies must be invested. Society does not only want engineers, doctors and pilots, society needs all its worker components” Sakr added.

“The labor market is filled with different people from different races that have different customs, who are building their societies with their own hands, and they are proud of that,” she said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×