Sudan Journalist Fined, Wore Pants in Public

[Hawke]

Source:
Sudan Fines Woman Who Wore Pants
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/africa/08sudan.html


Sudan Journalist Fined, Wore Pants in Public
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[Big Don]

American liberal response: So?

 

[jetboatdeath]

So what, this is the law of that nation why should any other nation even be involved.
It is none of our business...
Move along no story here...

 

[elder999]

American liberal response: So?

So...she didn't get any lashes: I'd say that's a step up, considering.

 

[Big Don]

So...she didn't get any lashes: I'd say that's a step up, considering.

There is that...

 

[still learning]

Hello, Signs the world is changing for Women Rights......

Also Religions and cultures around the world is getting more NOTICES...base are laws made by man!


Man make laws...Man is NOT perfect...therefore...many laws...that is questionable too......

....many people outthere would like to see women with out pants?

Bikini is nice.....develop by a French man ...his designs name after the Bikini Islands...

Aloha, two piece or one piece...or NONE ...choices ?

 

[blindsage]

Good for her.

 

[celtic_crippler]

I'm against women wearing pants too. :EG:

 

[grydth]

I'm against women wearing pants too. :EG:

That's a terribly sexist statement.... unless you're talkin' about the 300 pounders who wear low riders......

 

[Hawke]

Source:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6826206.ece

She had earlier resigned her job with the United Nations, which afforded her immunity from prosecution, in order to make a stand against a law that she said was unIslamic and discriminated against women.

She wanted to make public a law she believed to be unjust.

She probably did not get the 40 lashed because of the public eye.

She did not want to pay the fine and told her family and friends not to pay the fine. Someone might have paid because she has been released from prison.

 

[Flea]

I posted this in the Women's Forum where it got no response, so I'll just add here that she reminds me of a modern-day Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This is civil disobedience at its finest. I hope she's just getting warmed up!

 

[Ken Morgan]

I posted this in the Women's Forum where it got no response, so I'll just add here that she reminds me of a modern-day Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This is civil disobedience at its finest. I hope she's just getting warmed up!

I think and hope you may be right, however, there are many men in her country who would have no issue with using violence on someone who push’s the envelope. I would fear for her and any others who want to move the country forward, but I applaud her in the attempt.

 

[Flea]

who would have no issue with using violence on someone who push’s the envelope.

True, but this is a human universal ever since civilization has had an envelope to push. Let's not forget that the Suffragettes endured a lot of brutality on both sides of the pond as well. Every step forward comes with a painful sacrifice.

(Please be advised the above link is not very family-friendly.)

 

[Tez3]

This had me and others non Americans scrastching our heads at first reading and of some of the posts, to us 'pants' are underwear...knickers, briefs, Y fronts, drawers, thongs etc and the wearing of just your underwear tends not to be encouraged in a lot of places. I'm not being rude here but culteral differences can confuse a lot of issues. It's not just Moslems who have strictures against women wearing 'male' clothing, Othodox Jewish women and some Christian sects don't wear them either. However many Moslem women do wear trousers, they even sell them in Moslem clothing stores as here.
http://www.shukr.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=uk&Category_Code=women-trousers



It may be more about the fact that she's a journalist than anything else.

I don't think this is an American issue or a British issue but I think it's very much a women's issue and those of us of the female sex are very right to be concerned about the way our sisters are treated in any country. I feel too that as women we should do as much as we can to help in anyway we can. How men feel about this is up to them, whether they feel fellow men mistreating women is something that's nothing to do with them or not.

 

[Flea]

At the risk of hijacking, I love the Islamic women's garb from a fashion standpoint. If I could get away with it - that is, if I didn't feel it were insulting to real muslim women who put up with harassment for dressing like that in the west - I'd probably wear it a lot myself. It's just gorgeous. I remember on a visit to Cairo being amazed at the endless array of beautiful scarves available for sale everywhere, including truck stops. It's human nature that even in the toughest conditions, beauty will out.

 

[CoryKS]

If I could get away with it - that is, if I didn't feel it were insulting to real muslim women who put up with harassment for dressing like that in the west - I'd probably wear it a lot myself.

Wow. Kudos for being able to come into a thread about a woman facing real persecution in the east for not dressing in Islamic clothes and suggest that it's the west that is intolerant. This harassment you speak of: does it involve fines? Whippings? Jail time? Stoning? I'm curious.

 

[Flea]

Are you taking it personally CoryKS? You don't need to.

To answer your question, physical violence can be legally sanctioned, but even when it's not I think it's in a whole 'nother category from harassment. They're two completely separate conversations.

I see harassment as a social question. Try this one for instance, or this. It happens. It's well-documented. It doesn't impact Hussein's struggle in any way at all because they're fighting very different battles.

Ultimately I made my statement out of respect for Muslim women and the courage they have to live their freedom of religion in a sometimes hostile climate. It takes guts and character to push the envelope, as Ken said, and I wouldn't want to give the impression of stealing their thunder with false pretenses.

 

[CoryKS]

Are you taking it personally CoryKS? You don't need to.

To answer your question, physical violence can be legally sanctioned, but even when it's not I think it's in a whole 'nother category from harassment. They're two completely separate conversations.

I see harassment as a social question. Try this one for instance, or this. It happens. It's well-documented. It doesn't impact Hussein's struggle in any way at all because they're fighting very different battles.

Ultimately I made my statement out of respect for Muslim women and the courage they have to live their freedom of religion in a sometimes hostile climate. It takes guts and character to push the envelope, as Ken said, and I wouldn't want to give the impression of stealing their thunder with false pretenses.

Not at all. I don't take it personally if you write a post that seems to equate rude treatment by individuals with systematized violence by the state toward women. It may not have been your intent, but that's how it came out. But you know, you should really talk to some Muslim women about your desire to wear their clothing and the concerns you address here. I think they would be very open to the idea of you adopting their styles.

 

[Flea]

You may be right. :asian:

 

[blindsage]

I don't think this is an American issue or a British issue but I think it's very much a women's issue and those of us of the female sex are very right to be concerned about the way our sisters are treated in any country. I feel too that as women we should do as much as we can to help in anyway we can. How men feel about this is up to them, whether they feel fellow men mistreating women is something that's nothing to do with them or not.

I think you've created a false dichotomy here Tez. Women's issues are human issues. If any one person or group "are very right to be concerned aobut the way" any group in treated, then all should be concerned. You've created a standard that women should uphold, but men....ehh, whatever. It's either a serious issue or it's not, because men may not see the issue as important or give it proper emphasis in no way means they shouldn't, and they shouldn't be given a pass on it for whatever reason. If you want there to be change in the way women are treated in the world, then you need to advocate for women and for men to institute change. If you don't expect much from men you won't get much.