Quotes from Manal al-Sharif

When I see something wrong, I speak up.

My father's generation of Saudi men are more liberal than the men of my generation. But with women, it's the opposite.

A child cannot be free if his/her mother is not free. A husband cannot be free if his wife is not free. The society is nothing if women are nothing.

Because my mother couldn't change my present, I decided to change my daughter's future

We should not label people who speak up, because it should not be the exception - it should be the norm. When you see something wrong, you speak up.

I'm a normal woman, a normal person, and I just want to drive.

I went to a technology conference in Germany, and there were these beautiful, model-like women standing there in front of the products. I asked a question, and she had no clue what the product was. She had to call someone from the back to explain it to me. To me, that's using a woman as an object. To me, that's totally wrong.

All I did was ask for rights. I didn't attack anyone. I didn't harass anyone. I didn't oppose the system or the country or the authority. All I said is, 'Why can't I drive?'

The Saudi ideal of a woman is a religious mother who rarely ventures out: She shouldn't work with men, she should be completely covered, and she shouldn't go out alone to run errands.

Women tell me they are different since 21 May - the day I was arrested - it's a positive change, they believe now.

When women break that taboo and they're not afraid to drive that car by herself - that's it. Now she has the guts to speak up for herself and take action.