There is a fairly large contingent of Ultra-Orthodox Jews who practice the same sort of segregation of sexes. They would not arrest a foreign vistor, but they might ask them to go into another room... not at a Starbuck's though.

ANd I have been to a few Christian weddings that emphasized that the woman's role was to serve the wishes of the head of the family (total subserveint role). This is not exactly new and not just restricted to the Mideast.

This is not to justify the Saudi's rules.
It seems pretty clear the roots are deep
in many socities however.

We of course have risen above this morally.
cornered the market on morality, ask Pat Robertson