Getting Caught With Your Pants Down
Friday, September 21st, 2007
How do you feel about the sagging pants trend among teens? My daughter and I were in the grocery section of the local Wal-Mart about a week ago, and saw one young man whose boxer shorts were almost totally revealed. We manged to hold back our giggles until we had rounded the corner into the next aisle, but then we almost collapsed! The guy’s green, blue, and white plaid boxers had us in stitches! I found myself wondering if he had bought them in Wal-Mart, so that at least they were getting some free advertising!
Seriously, if I want to see your underwear, I’ll be bold enough to walk up and ask you! Yahoo! News reports that some municipalities are now “cracking down” on crack-revealing pants and shorts. I had read about this in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and considered myself all for it.
Now comes the news that many people consider these laws racial stereotyping aimed at blacks. One African-American shop owner asked if the laws would also go after plumbers and construction workers whose pants sag. Fine by me. I don’t care anything about seeing their underwear (or anything else they have) either.
Even the ACLU is getting in on this, as evidenced by the following: “In Atlanta, we see this as racial profiling,” said Benetta Standly, statewide organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia. “It’s going to target African-American male youths. There’s a fear with people associating the way you dress with crimes being committed.”
I’ve seen plenty of youths other than African-Americans wearing these saggy pants. The issue is the saggy pants themselves, not the color of the skin underneath them. This is just a very unattractive and disrespectful trend. As for associating this with crimes being committed, it’s widely reported that this particular fashion statement originated in prison. What, exactly, does that say?
I’m not so sure new laws are needed though. Don’t most cities and towns already have laws dealing with indecent exposure? Shouldn’t we just be enforcing those?
Personally, I hope the saggy pants trend ends soon. As I said earlier, if I want to see your underwear, I’ll ask. Otherwise, just assume I’d rather see you with your pants on.
teens, teenagers, adolescents, teen fashions, teen trends, saggy pants, teenage boys
