Sagging Pants: Hip Hop Trend or Prison Trend?
A Way to Display Homosexuality in Prison
Sagging pants was never meant to be fashionable. Prisoners wear their pants this low because belts are a popular way to commit suicide by hanging oneself, to hang others, or to use as a weapon in fights. Prisoners are also not allowed to have shoestrings for the same reasons. But there is an even more obvious reason why pants are sagging in prison. If the pants are below a man's bottom, it is to introduce to other men that he is homosexual. As Eazy E once said about women in skirts, "For easy access, baby."
Pastor Dianne Robinson, 64, from Jackson, Florida is the founder of Nanas and Papas Raising Grands Organization and she is helping to start a fight against sagging. She feels it's disrespectful and sometimes the underwear isn't clean. So far, I haven't seen any underwear with stains or unclean, but regardless of it being clean or not, it's disgustingly sloppy. A Dallas school trustee contacted the City Council to see if there could be a ban on this trend and in 2004, a Louisiana lawmaker proposed House Bill 1626, also known as the Baggy Pants Bill. Offenders would be fined up to $175 or given community service. The Virginia Senate suggested a $50 fine on people who reveal their underwear. Although I don't think sagging is serious enough for a fine, I think self-respect itself should be the reason why the "fashion trend" is cut out.
I can understand a person wanting to show off their jewelry. Fiancees have been doing it for centuries. I can understand someone wanting to show off their new outfits. Fashion shows take care of that. I can even vibe with showing off fresh new hairdos, shoes, and accessories. But for the life of me, I don't understand why the under part of underwear does not send a sign to saggers everywhere that these garments should be beneath their clothes. At a pool party, it is normal for people to see swim trunks. In the privacy of your own home, feel free to wear or not wear whatever you want. I think loose and baggy pants are attractive, especially on a man who wears it well. I've never been attracted to tight pants with the appearance of a sock in the groin area. That's just corny. But when did wearing baggy pants have to be so exaggerated? Can't they just be loose fitting but still on the waist? How is it attractive for a woman to see some man's pants sagging so far down under his butt that it looks like there's a private party going on around in his knees?
This trend increased when new citizens came out of prison and were so used to wearing their pants this way that they continued on. You know America loves a bad guy; we can see that in movies and music everyday. So, many young boys and men emulated this seemingly hardcore status. But in the process, they degrade the culture of hip hop (because it has become so common with rappers, and even worse, rappers who don't know a thing about prison or are terrified of going back) and themselves. The irony is that some rappers who really did time, such as TI, are dressing more dapper as they get out. Now how is it that the actual prisoners who were used to wearing their clothes this way are now wearing suits but the boys and men who'd never make it out of jail and would cry at the thought of going are so hell bent on representing this crew? Do women a favor, guys. Pull your pants up. Sometimes your outward appearance can represent something positive or tell a lot about you, such as the attractive man I spoke of in the first paragraph, but other times it can represent something that'll turn women away regardless of how attractive you may be. However, it might turn more men to you, specifically the ones that think they can get in your pants easy, literally. If that is your preference, by no means do I have the right to judge. But if it's not, you're sending out the wrong signals to women.
Published by Shamontiel
Shamontiel is the author of "Round Trip" and "Change for a Twenty," and in mid-October became the Chicago Tribune's Digital News Editor. She works on National Travel, Health and occasionally Breaking News, a... View profile
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254 Comments
Post a CommentNOTaNTHERlikeME, why do people like typing their names in random caps? I don't understand that either. ("Another" is spelled wrong, but regardless...) Thanks for posting the video. I like the last photo. I'm mad that somebody dressed the dog that stupid. Don't make it so dogs can't run just because you can't. You and I both know nobody who knows much about rap music posted that video. Seems like somebody tried way too hard to connect with the rap world with the music in the background BUT that last photo says it all. I don't believe wearing pants around your waist would automatically make you successful, but it'll at least help somebody fake it til they make it.
Oh my Goodness! I had to upload this when I saw it. CHeck this Youtube out. Finally, someone speaks out against sagging in the music world....http://youtu.be/oAHIrMmMi8o
in the article,, she posted she had not seen any dirty underwear so far,, i sure did,, this young kid thought he was so kool being out with his hommies that he did not check the skid marks in his drawers, so as i was leaving, i went up to a friend of his and told him to tell the dude to pull up his pants, and the next time he wanted to sag, make sure he wore clean underwear. then i heard laughing in the back ground and when i looked around, the kid had pulled up his pants,, guess his mama forgot to tell him the old message,, when you leave home, make sure you got clean socks and underwear on..
Gheta, you lost me with that part about actors dressed in the '70s. I'm not sure how old you are, but bell bottoms were the "it" fashion in the '70s. Even in the late '60s, I've seen photographs of that era with pants legs get bigger. The '80s was the worst fashion period ever. Leg warmers. High-top fades. Pom-pom skirts and those awful pom-poms on the back-bottom of jeans with zippers (I know because I had them). An actor dressing the part is not the same as someone who thinks they're the best thing smoking with girly fitting jeans on. I just can't deal. I don't like men in tight clothes. I'm absolutely relieved those neon muscle shirts finally went out of style. Now for sagging pants and skinny jeans! :-)
Gheta, there's a difference between skinny jeans and relaxed fit. I'm not talking about jeans that fit. I'm talking about skin tight jeans that hug the ankles. I know it's common for skateboarders and rockers and suit guys in GQ magazine (then again, GQ said Tia and Tamera are the top 25 least influential people and no one knows them, so they don't know much in my opinion), but it's just not attractive to me. I think people should let their ankles breathe. Every time I see a guy in skinny jeans, they remind me of Peggy Bundy. But hey, to each his own. If you like it, don't let my opinion stop you. Thanks for reading!
I totally agree with everything you have said, but why the hate on the idea of males wearing skinny jeans returning too? I mean it depends on the type of skinny jeans you are referring to (how tight you mean), but models, rockstars, actors dressed as people in the 80's, 70's, 60's and such, men in suits or uniforms, etc all look nice in tight jeans in my opinion. They can be comfortable, professional, good looking, sexy, and pretty mature. If you are referring to something similar to the kind you see on those skinny white guys that dress usually in all black and wear a stupid looking tie over some ripped up sleeveless shirt and some some outrageous and maybe died hair-do... I agree lol.
Chris Chase, if you spent more time actually reading the entry and less time flipping out, you'd notice "Resources" on the right-hand side for "Jet" magazine and another entry linked from "Washington Post." You'd also notice the information from a judge about sagging pants. And while I did use legitimate sources for the topic of the transition from prison to hip-hop, this was actually an op/ed piece about how I felt about sagging pants. If you don't agree, that's on you. It doesn't make me budge in my opinion. As far as people saying "ur," there are 25 pages worth of comments. If that's the only thing that could rile you up, I wouldn't suggest you click that next button. Or, I guess I'll just expect three more comments from you about how you just "can't" comment. (The irony in that amuses me.) I do encourage you to use apostrophes for "ive" "lets" and "cant" though.
omg ive been infected all is lost this is all "ur" fault Shamontiel
omg... I'm dying... reading the comments here... does no one know anything anymore about the world from which they come. before you can say... "when hip hop culture began to arise" you have to know what hip hop culture is... just cause something is unclassified by a label or unrefined doesn't mean that it does not exist... why would... actually I'm done... i just cant deal with the ignorance or the use or "ur" in place or your or you'are but i suppose that's a "cultural thing"
Where are your sources, who writes and calls themselves a journalist without sources? lets do this like adults and not source un-verified hearsay from the internet. Unfortunately, it is people who don't think for themselves, who think for other people and whom other people allow themselves to be fooled by, that are perpetuating the kind of smut that is this article.