Part 4/9:
The Irony of Hypocrisy and Money-Mindedness
Cummings also addressed accusations that her performance was hypocritical because she advocates for women’s rights. She scoffed at the idea that women are barred from doing much in Saudi Arabia, sarcastically pointing out that women recently gained the right to drive—calling it “an American revolution,” which drastically oversimplifies the serious gender disparities still prevalent there.
She mocked critics’ outrage over her stage performance, again mocking the idea that women are not allowed on stage in Saudi Arabia by suggesting it was a trivial concern. This disdainful rhetoric aimed to undermine the legitimacy of gender rights arguments, implying that critics’ concern over women’s rights in Saudi Arabia was misplaced or exaggerated.