40,000 Lashes? For Trousers?

For all the grief America gets over its objectification of women, it turns out we objectify men a little bit, too. Also, we don’t dole out corporal punishment to women for wearing trousers, of all things.

Of course in other countries (i.e. Muslim countries), women are subjected to such abuse and indignity because that’s what their version of Islam prescribes. They also have to carry big jugs of water around on their heads, which we’re assuming isn’t as much fun as it looks.

Fortunately, one woman is standing up to this ridiculousness in the nation of Sudan – which we’re pretty sure is just around the corner from the country where U.S. President Barack Obama was born.

From Breitbart.com:

A Sudanese journalist facing 40 lashes for wearing “indecent” trousers vowed on the eve of her judgment that she is ready to be whipped 40,000 times in her bid to change the country’s harsh laws.

Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein, who works for the media department of the United Nations Mission in Sudan, is to be judged on Tuesday after waiving the immunity granted to UN workers.

She is to be judged under Article 152 of Sudanese law, which promises 40 lashes for anyone “who commits an indecent act which violates public morality or wears indecent clothing.”

Police arrested Hussein and 12 other women wearing trousers at a Khartoum restaurant on July 3. Two days later 10 of the women accepted a punishment of 10 lashes, but Hussein is appealing in a bid to eliminate such rough justice.

The other two women are also facing charges.

“If I’m sentenced to be whipped, or to anything else, I will appeal. I will see it through to the end, to the constitutional court if necessary,” Hussein said.

“And if the constitutional court says the law is constitutional, I’m ready to be whipped not 40 but 40,000 times.”

You go girlfriend (snap).

Seriously, though, props to al-Hussein. This world needs more women like her who aren’t afraid to show men who wears the pants. Or in this case, trousers.