Religious Sexism

I was deeply saddened when checking my news today to see this story on top: Journalist Prepared for 40,000 Lashes: Sudanese Woman Prosecuted for Wearing Pants

Here are the highlights:
"Lubna-Ahmed al-Hussein, a journalist with the United Nations Mission in Sudan, is on trial after being arrested July 3 along with 12 other women for wearing trousers at a restaurant in Khartoum"

"Sudanese law calls for 40 lashes for anyone "who commits an indecent act which violates public morality or wears indecent clothing." For women, indecent clothing includes the outfit Hussein wore when she was arrested and again during her first hearing on July 29: a loose-fitting top, headscarf and green slacks."

"Hussein has appealed her case in the hope of bringing international attention to the plight of Sudanese women. She waived her immunity as a U.N. worker in the case and told AFP her goal is to have the law regulating clothing repealed.
"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.""

Honestly, there really is just no need for this blatant sexism. You want to talk about violating "public morality"? How about physically abusing women for their fashion choices. How old is this law, created by sexist men who wanted to limit women's rights? How is this still tolerated. I highly admire this woman for fighting this law, but unfortunately, I feel like it will continue to remain the same, just like all the other sexist abuses religion has created in the past. The best we can hope to do is to get the word out about these types of abuse and discrimination, so hopefully the world will soon open its eyes, and perhaps see the irrationality of its behavior.