Over the past few months, Saudi Arabia has drawn international attention and praise for its efforts to drastically reform its conservative and often archaic social norms.
However, despite the progress, a few things still leave some scratching their heads.
Take for instance the recent case of Dr. Ghassan bin Ahmad Al-Sulaiman, a former adviser at the kingdom's Ministry of Trade and Investment.
Dr. Al-Sulaiman recently attended a fashion show in Riyadh organized by a local beauty academy. Following the event, he shared a statement praising the show, according to Khaleeji media.
However, the next day, in an abrupt about-face, Dr. Al-Sulaiman appeared to change his mind entirely. He condemned the fashion show, which was a mixed-gender event, according to reports.
Apparently Dr. Al-Sulaiman's apology didn't fix the controversy and he was officially relieved of his duties as of Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Over the past year, massive changes have been underway throughout Riyadh, championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Live concerts, even featuring female performers, and mixed gender events have begun taking place throughout the kingdom. However, at the same time, a conservative segment of society has pushed back, trying to halt the transformation.