I just bought a new pair of jeans last night. I will save you from having to relive the hours upon hours in which I tried on yards upon yards of boot cut and straight-legged denim, in which I stared at my own butt hoping it would turn into more of an apple than a pancake and in which I vainly attempted to instantaneously grow a few – say 5 – inches taller. Suffice it to say, I finally surmounted all obstacles and added one more pair of jeans to my inventory. Now, this would have been an unremarkable event in my life, if not for the fact that I saw Nicholas Kristof’s story about Lubna Hussein in today’s New York Times. Lubna is a woman who lives in Sudan, a woman who is on trial for wearing pants. After reading about her “crime” and the punishment of 40 lashes she may receive for committing it, my dilemma over finding the perfect pair of jeans falls into a very different light.
I love my pants, particularly my jeans. I appreciate dresses and skirts, too. However, I must pause a moment and, with a sigh of relief, acknowledge how happy I am to live in a country where I can choose what, where, when and how I want to wear what I wear.
I cannot imagine what it must be like to live under laws such as those enforced in Sudan, and many other countries, where fear of women and their bodies results in rules such as the one which Lubna is accused of breaking.
I wish Lubna much luck with her trial, and thank her for her courage and conviction. I will follow this story and wish for a positive outcome. I am simply grateful that I am not in her shoes. Or her pants.
San
/ August 6, 2009I spent a week at our summer place–”the cabin”–and, during one conversation, I was getting frustrated and upset about the ‘drama’ going on with the other cabin owners along the lake.
A few days later, I arrived home to learn that one of my students had died in a cabin fire the week before.
I grew up going to the cabin every summer. It’s my favorite place in the world. It’s where I feel safe, at peace, happy.
Monday, I will go to the funeral for this 14 year old boy, his sister, and their cousin.
I read this post, thinking about the ‘drama’ at the lake and the tragedy of that cabin fire. I needed to make that connection.
Perspective and gratitude are what I have tonight.
Thank you, Em.
LiLu
/ August 8, 2009Kickass, hon. And Amen.
I rocked a pair of straight leg for the first time last night… it felt good!
emmajames
/ August 11, 2009San: I’m so sorry for your loss. What a tragedy! Perspective and gratitude are true gifts. Thanks for the reminder, my friend.
LiLu: Thanks, chica. And how awesome of you. They wouldn’t by any chance be new 1969s, now would they? I’m now jonzing for some straight legged action myself – I went with the sexy boot cut look in the above-mentioned “spree.”
justjp
/ August 12, 2009It does bring a new perspective to the table.
emmajames
/ August 16, 2009JP: Don’t it just, now, don’t it just…