A Fine but No Lash for Sudan Woman Who Wore Pants

[niceypoo]

Source: New York Times

NAIROBI, Kenya — A Sudanese court on Monday decided not to lash a woman for wearing trousers in public but convicted her of violating the country’s decency laws and fined her the equivalent of $200.

The woman, Lubna Hussein, an outspoken journalist who recently worked for the United Nations, was facing 40 lashes in a case that generated widespread interest inside and outside Sudan.

snip*

Sudan is partly governed by Islamic law, which calls for women to dress modestly. But on Monday, dozens of women — many wearing pants — gathered in front of the courthouse in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, where Mrs. Hussein’s case was being heard, to express their solidarity. Many Sudanese women have said the law is vague and discriminates against women.

Witnesses said riot police officers fired tear gas at the crowd and beat at least one woman with a baton before arresting several others. Mrs. Hussein’s lawyers complained that the judge had refused to hear witnesses from her side and listened only to police officers testifying against her.

...

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/africa/08sudan.html?em

[JonQ]

1. Really, for wearing pants?

I guess it makes it slightly less convenient to rape a woman if she's wearing pants?

Sudan you have more pressing concerns, deal with those.

[Sultana]

2. Northern Sudanese are plain ass stupid

Thank God, I am a Southerner.

[marshall]

3. Why not fine the Sudanese men for wearing dresses?

[JDPriestly]

4. I have never been able to understand why so many people think that

skirts are for women and pants for men. First of all, in some cultures, men wear pants. In Bali my husband was strongly encouraged to put on a skirt before entering a temple even though he was a tourist. Men have worn kilts (a short skirt) for a long time in Scotland. These are not the only cultures in which men wear skirts. In Rome and Greece, the men wore togas.

Pants are harder to design and sew. I suspect that and the fact that women can lift them for ease in eliminating waste are the only reasons that women are associated with skirts and men with pants.

I have worn both pants and skirts and must say that pants feel much more modest to me, especially with a suit jacket. That is why so many female lawyers and prominent women like Hillary Clinton wear pants. You don't have men staring at your legs. In courtrooms that means that the observers behind a lawyer are not staring at the backs of her legs. In cultures in which women wear long skirts, that translates into freedom from having people watching to see if your skirt hikes up as you move.

It is time that people in primitive countries like Sudan think for themselves. As long as they make a religion of traditions that make no sense, they will not have my respect or understanding.

[Lionel Mandrake]

6. This is a minor quibble, but ...

The toga was not worn in Greece before the Roman Empire. In Rome, the usual dress for a man was a tunic. The toga was an awkward, ceremonial garment and was reserved for special occasions. For example, a male Roman citizen would wear his toga over his tunic while transacting public business at the Forum.

[JDPriestly]

8. Thanks. Same idea. I am just describing pictures. I do not know the terminology.

[oct2010]

11. the terminology is called "skirting the issue" at hand

a rather quaint way to sympathize,rationalize and accept why the laws must be obeyed

I am just describing pictures. I do not know the terminology.

[Odin2005]

7. Pants are the invention of cold climate and horse-riding nomadic cultures.

In warmer climates people wore skirts and various kinds of robes, such as togas.

[ipaint]

12. We had school wide sit down strikes in public junior high school

demanding the right to wear pants to school. That was 1969 or so.

We won.

[One_Life_To_Give]

14. Boys in US wore dresses only 100 years ago

Was a big deal when a boy got his first pair of "Britches". But hollywood would have us all believe that little boys always wore pants from the day they were born. Just as surredly as every Cowboy dressed like Roy Rogers.

[Lionel Mandrake]

5. K & R n/t

[oct2010]

9. Hhello.. they threw her jean covered ass in jail for 30 days

At least she didn't drink any beer. The fundies would have been out of their minds for such an abomination
:sarcasm:
I know, non believer humor isn't welcome on this subject. Insensitive. And all

[oct2010]

10. 40 (women) held for backing trousers woman

40 held for backing trousers woman
(UKPA) – 12 hours ago

Sudanese police have detained 40 women protesting outside a courthouse in support of a female journalist on trial for wearing trousers in public.

Lubna Hussein's trial was set to resume and she could receive 40 lashes and a fine if found guilty of violating Sudan's indecency law which follows a strict interpretation of Islam.

She has been released on bail during the hearings and has sought to draw international attention to her case.

She has described the law as un-Islamic and oppressive to women.

As a UN worker, Ms Hussein should have immunity from prosecution but she has opted to stand trial.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gQUEiCrqB9FCNRmoRLKuRbi8VtLA

If these women are not foreign UN aid workers, they are going to pay dearly for this behavior

[samsingh]

13. surprisingly, this is probably a huge step forward