Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor
of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Sudanese woman, Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein, a journalist and a former U. N. staffer, was facing 40 lashes or jail for wearing pants in public. The following is an excerpt from the report:

A Sudanese woman was convicted today of public indecency for wearing pants at an outdoor cafe and jailed for one month when she refused to pay a fine.

The case has stirred international outrage and spawned protests in Sudan over the Islamic-dominated government’s treatment of women.

Lubna Hussein, a journalist and former U.N. staffer based in Khartoum, the capital, could have received 40 lashes with a plastic whip under Sudan’s criminal code, which is based largely on Islamic Sharia law.

Instead, a judge ordered Hussein — who stood before the court in the same pair of pants that she wore when arrested — to pay a $200 fine. Hussein said she would refuse to pay, and was taken to a women’s prison to serve a one-month sentence.

“If I paid, it would mean I’d lost the battle,” Hussein said after the verdict was announced. “I would rather serve my time in jail.”

Hussein was arrested earlier this year with a dozen other women, most of whom have since paid a fine or were lashed.

A similar fate could have happened to women in ancient Israel if Deuteronomy 22:5 taught that women should not wear pants in public. I am glad that Deuteronomy 22:5 did not teach that then and that it does not teach this now.

Transvestism in Ancient Israel

Transvestism in Ancient Israel

Women, Pants, and Deuteronomy 22:5 – Part 1

Women, Pants, and Deuteronomy 22:5 – Part 2

Jesus Wore Pants

Women, Paris, and Pants

Women Wearing Pants: The Consequence

Did Jesus Wear a Dress?

NOTE: For other studies on syncretism in Israel and Judah, read my post Syncretism in the Old Testament.

Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

NOTE: Did you like this post? Do you think other people would like to read this post? Be sure to share this post on Facebook and share a link on Twitter or Tumblr so that others may enjoy reading it too!

I would love to hear from you! Let me know what you thought of this post by leaving a comment below. Be sure to like my page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, follow me on Tumblr, Facebook, and subscribe to my blog to receive each post by email.

If you are looking for other series of studies on the Old Testament, visit the Archive section and you will find many studies that deal with a variety of topics.