Women banned from wearing trousers in Paris, Whyzzat???

[redrumloa]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/fash ... Paris.html

The rule banning women from dressing like men – namely by wearing trousers - was first introduced in 1800 by Paris' police chief and has survived repeated attempts to repeal it.

The 1800 rule stipulated than any Parisienne wishing to dress like a man "must present herself to Paris' main police station to obtain authorisation".

In 1892 it was slightly relaxed thanks to an amendment which said trousers were permitted "as long as the woman is holding the reins of a horse".

Then in 1909, the decree was further watered down when an extra clause was added to allow women in trousers on condition they were "on a bicycle or holding it by the handlebars".

In 1969, amid a global movement towards gender equality, the Paris council asked the city's police chief to bin the decree. His response was: "It is unwise to change texts which foreseen or unforeseen variations in fashion can return to the fore."

The latest attempt to remove the outmoded rule was in 2003, when a Right-wing MP from President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party wrote to the minister in charge of gender equality. The minister's response was: "Disuse is sometimes more efficient than (state) intervention in adapting the law to changing mores."

As Evelyne Pisier, a law professor whose book Le Droit des Femmes (The Rights of Women) unearthed the curious decree points out, given that trousers are compulsory for Parisian policewoman, they are all breaking the law.

:?:

 

[Robert]

Just a prudish, old law.
Most places still have stupid, old laws.

Having said that the principle behind most of these old modesty laws is the same one that makes it still illegal to walk around naked in public today.

 

[faethor]

Lots of places have old uninforced laws on their books. Google Silly Laws in [state_name] for example. Florida supposedly has that oral sex is illegal and missionary sex is the only legal type of sexual activity. Whyzzat?

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Meanwhile in other silly fashion law news...

 

[Robert]

Meanwhile in other silly fashion law news...

Last week Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the Shas party's spiritual leader, said during his weekly sermon that the women in the feminist movement are "stupid"

:roflmao:

 

[Glaucus]

Banning pants wouldn't be so bad if they lifted the ban on public nudity! :twisted:

 

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Having said that the principle behind most of these old modesty laws is the same one that makes it still illegal to walk around naked in public today.

Shouldn't be much of a problem to let that law be deprecated in a FREE country, no?

 

[Robert]

Having said that the principle behind most of these old modesty laws is the same one that makes it still illegal to walk around naked in public today.

Shouldn't be much of a problem to let that law be deprecated in a FREE country, no?

You're right, it shouldn't but too many people still have weird ideas of 'morals'.

 

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Having said that the principle behind most of these old modesty laws is the same one that makes it still illegal to walk around naked in public today.

Shouldn't be much of a problem to let that law be deprecated in a FREE country, no?

You're right, it shouldn't but too many people still have weird ideas of 'morals'.

Ah yes and then there's the law that you have to carry an ID once you hit the street here in NL. You violate the law the very moment you get out on the street and forget to take it with you, or when you lost it.
If people would care one tiny bit about freedom this law would never had seen the light of day.