Droopy Drawers Law

[Smiley and West]

		Florida’s legislature bans “droopy drawers” in all public schools. Smiley: I'm more concerned about what happens next. What are they going to start legislating next? West: Gangsters on Wall Street walk free with their three-pieces on, but they gotta zero on brother Jamal with his pants down. This is what brother Martin called “warped priorities”.

[Sanfter Baun]

In my opinion, WE should be policing this problem instead of waiting for the system to do it.

In our community, it is always a "bad look", when the government comes in and deal with problems that we should deal with ourselves. The "sagging" trend is not just an African-American trend though. So let us not own this negative behavior when it's time to have conversations about the enforcement of the behavior. But now that sagging is being addressed legally, I applaud it. I will never condone any negative activity just because African-Americans are engaging in it. Now let's deal with the corruption on Wall Street with equal intensity.

[Suzette Monique Byrd]

PULL UP YOU DAMN PANTS! EMANCIPATION YOUNG BROTHERS!  SIMON SAID SO! OF COURSE BLACK PEOPLE! OF COURSE! NOW WHAT! MASSAH SAID SAG! MASSAH SAID PUT ON A BELT! MASSAH SAID, MASSAH SAID! GOOD FOR THEY ASS!! YEP I SAID IT! WAKE THE HELL UP! DUMMIES, NOW HOW MANY OF THE "VICTIMS" OF THIS LAW ARE GOING TO BE INFORMED OF THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND WHY THEY SAG AND HOW MANY OF US ON THIS BLOG ARE GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY AND HOLD A FORUM TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE????? NOT WITH EACH OTHER BUT WITH THE "VICTIMS" ?????

[Suzette Monique Byrd]

AS FAR AS WALL STREET...THE LAW WON'T BE EFFECTIVE, B/C THEN HOW WILL YOU BE ABLE SEPERATE FACT FROM FICTION???? HELP ME??? BTW! I intentionally typed in caps...:-)

[Tammie Chapman]

I agree w/this policy ,but again this should start at home  and the school should help enforce it,,,,

[Leigh Crenshaw]

I love your show.  It’s how I start my Monday and it makes a huge difference in my week.

 

Your joking comment on legislating spandex concerned me.  In jest you said that folks must not have mirrors in their house. That certain sisters have no business wearing spandex.   I’m calling sexism and classism on that. 

 

Lots of points to make: 1) A lot of western clothes are constructed to fit only a certain body type, leaving many women with few options.  2) For many of us the only affordable clothes are spandex.  3) Fashion is following a larger societal trend towards women’s sexual exploitation (the mainstreaming of pornography, the prominence of video vixens, etc) so what is available is becoming more risqué.  4) For a lot of sisters the only way to be acknowledged at all is to put your body on display.  5) It’s open season on large people, especially large black women.  It’s still acceptable to make fun of large folks and ascribe all manner of negative stereotypes to them.  Joining in on the joke fest that certain women’s bodies are unacceptable is just plain not helpful when we’re trying to build the beloved community.
 
I love your nuanced concern for my boxer-bearing brothers.  Can it extend to sisters too, who are making clothing decisions under similarly oppressive conditions? 

[JamieLMyer]

Agree completely.  A lot of my students are constantly in trouble for wearing "droopy drawers." Not my favorite look either (actually some of them have started wearing them to their knees, I don't know how they walk without falling...) but of all the issues confronting us, I am thinking droopy drawers isn't a top priority.

[JamieLMyer]

Leigh, 

 

I just want to ask a question in regards to our middle school girls...they are seriously putting it on display and usually being sent home for it (can we just buy some sweatshirts and pants and pass them out rather then send them home--ugly ones, the ugliest we can find), but in the process are they being acknowledged in a way that is demeaning and disrespectful. And is it going to attract the type of guys that will honor and respect my students or guys that will break their hearts?  I have a son.  I cannot imagine dealing with the overexposed clothing situation, which to me is a lot more harmful in the way it will impact girls and their self-image and self esteem. The guys aren't overexposed, they just have droopy drawers-and polka-dot boxers.  Jamie 

 

Your joking comment on legislating spandex concerned me.  In jest you said that folks must not have mirrors in their house. That certain sisters have no business wearing spandex.   I’m calling sexism and classism on that. 

 

Lots of points to make: 1) A lot of western clothes are constructed to fit only a certain body type, leaving many women with few options.  2) For many of us the only affordable clothes are spandex.  3) Fashion is following a larger societal trend towards women’s sexual exploitation (the mainstreaming of pornography, the prominence of video vixens, etc) so what is available is becoming more risqué.  4) For a lot of sisters the only way to be acknowledged at all is to put your body on display.  5) It’s open season on large people, especially large black women.  It’s still acceptable to make fun of large folks and ascribe all manner of negative stereotypes to them.  Joining in on the joke fest that certain women’s bodies are unacceptable is just plain not helpful when we’re trying to build the beloved community.
 
I love your nuanced concern for my boxer-bearing brothers.  Can it extend to sisters too, who are making clothing decisions under similarly oppressive conditions? 

[Denise Harris]

Legislating sagging pants is just as ridiculous as the act. I do not feel this act is any type of fashion statement.

Reasons I uncovered are: appear to be "hard", protest against authority, to attract a mate.

A case could be made for indescent exposure; however, many other items of clothing may fall in that catagory.

For a state to go after such a case shows to what extent they will go to target Blacks for incarceration.

[JamieLMyer]

I believe it is only for people still in school, but the negative ramifications on the students are still pretty bad...ridiculous...what are they doing to help students stay in school, get educated.  Aye, it just infuriates me.

[tony daley]

 we do have more inportant problems , than droopy pants ,with love lets help the kid grow and be the best thay can be.

[Leigh Crenshaw]

Hi Jamie,

Here's my thinking.  We have to strike a balance between being liberal (anything goes) and being disrespectful towards young people.  Embarrassing folks may have the desired effect of changing a behavior but was is the impact on the person's psyche?  Does this build up or tear down self-esteem and critical thinking skills?  Do we want them making choices because we force them to or because they've developed a strong sense of self?  I ask these as a person who has the luxury of not working in a school every day. 

 

From my own experience I went from being pretty covered up to showing out from time to time because I wanted to be acknowledged.  I wasn't trying to catch a guy (as you alluded to you don't attract many winners) but I was trying to have someone notice that I existed. Even if it was bad attention I wanted another human being to speak to me, show interest in me. 

 

There are definite concerns and I think they are symptoms of larger problems.  At that age I could have used a group of other girls and women to sit down with and figure out these complex issues.

JamieLMyer said:

Leigh, 

 

I just want to ask a question in regards to our middle school girls...they are seriously putting it on display and usually being sent home for it (can we just buy some sweatshirts and pants and pass them out rather then send them home--ugly ones, the ugliest we can find), but in the process are they being acknowledged in a way that is demeaning and disrespectful. And is it going to attract the type of guys that will honor and respect my students or guys that will break their hearts?  I have a son.  I cannot imagine dealing with the overexposed clothing situation, which to me is a lot more harmful in the way it will impact girls and their self-image and self esteem. The guys aren't overexposed, they just have droopy drawers-and polka-dot boxers.  Jamie 

 

Your joking comment on legislating spandex concerned me.  In jest you said that folks must not have mirrors in their house. That certain sisters have no business wearing spandex.   I’m calling sexism and classism on that. 

 

Lots of points to make: 1) A lot of western clothes are constructed to fit only a certain body type, leaving many women with few options.  2) For many of us the only affordable clothes are spandex.  3) Fashion is following a larger societal trend towards women’s sexual exploitation (the mainstreaming of pornography, the prominence of video vixens, etc) so what is available is becoming more risqué.  4) For a lot of sisters the only way to be acknowledged at all is to put your body on display.  5) It’s open season on large people, especially large black women.  It’s still acceptable to make fun of large folks and ascribe all manner of negative stereotypes to them.  Joining in on the joke fest that certain women’s bodies are unacceptable is just plain not helpful when we’re trying to build the beloved community.
 
I love your nuanced concern for my boxer-bearing brothers.  Can it extend to sisters too, who are making clothing decisions under similarly oppressive conditions? 

[Penguin Board of Directors]

Leigh,

I admire your courage to admit to youthful foibles; such foibles are integral to growing up. One can hardly vouchsafe such a standard of delivery for some calendar-age Methusellahs. You raised cogent issues regarding choice of approach in setting the young straight from paths that adults consider, in their wisdom, to be ill-advised. 

For me, while I understand the need for responsible dressing, I take the whole over-emphasis as one of misdirected priority. It has a ring of the Biblical whited sepulchre; beautiful on the outside but full of worms on the inside. At least, I can tell that you write very well and intelligently. That shows that you have made many right choices along the way (more than many adults) and ended up with quality education. Congratulations.   

For well-adjusted adults, corrective choices are made in staggered fashion. If soft measures work, there is hardly need for escalating to tough options. You acknowledged that, in your situation back then, you could have used some older girl or adult counsel. Great; now, you can go out and fill that void in the lives of some young folks. See it?

No normal adult would wish to adopt a sadistic approach to correcting the young. The young must also recognize that no one makes a good omelette without breaking an egg! A fruitful life is often a road less traveled. By the way, The Road Less Traveled is a work sometimes quoted even by those who have never sighted the cover! Imagine.    

Leigh Crenshaw said:

Hi Jamie,

Here's my thinking.  We have to strike a balance between being liberal (anything goes) and being disrespectful towards young people.  Embarrassing folks may have the desired effect of changing a behavior but was is the impact on the person's psyche?  Does this build up or tear down self-esteem and critical thinking skills?  Do we want them making choices because we force them to or because they've developed a strong sense of self?  I ask these as a person who has the luxury of not working in a school every day. 

 

From my own experience I went from being pretty covered up to showing out from time to time because I wanted to be acknowledged.  I wasn't trying to catch a guy (as you alluded to you don't attract many winners) but I was trying to have someone notice that I existed. Even if it was bad attention I wanted another human being to speak to me, show interest in me. 

 

There are definite concerns and I think they are symptoms of larger problems.  At that age I could have used a group of other girls and women to sit down with and figure out these complex issues.

JamieLMyer said:

Leigh, 

 

I just want to ask a question in regards to our middle school girls...they are seriously putting it on display and usually being sent home for it (can we just buy some sweatshirts and pants and pass them out rather then send them home--ugly ones, the ugliest we can find), but in the process are they being acknowledged in a way that is demeaning and disrespectful. And is it going to attract the type of guys that will honor and respect my students or guys that will break their hearts?  I have a son.  I cannot imagine dealing with the overexposed clothing situation, which to me is a lot more harmful in the way it will impact girls and their self-image and self esteem. The guys aren't overexposed, they just have droopy drawers-and polka-dot boxers.  Jamie 

 

Your joking comment on legislating spandex concerned me.  In jest you said that folks must not have mirrors in their house. That certain sisters have no business wearing spandex.   I’m calling sexism and classism on that. 

 

Lots of points to make: 1) A lot of western clothes are constructed to fit only a certain body type, leaving many women with few options.  2) For many of us the only affordable clothes are spandex.  3) Fashion is following a larger societal trend towards women’s sexual exploitation (the mainstreaming of pornography, the prominence of video vixens, etc) so what is available is becoming more risqué.  4) For a lot of sisters the only way to be acknowledged at all is to put your body on display.  5) It’s open season on large people, especially large black women.  It’s still acceptable to make fun of large folks and ascribe all manner of negative stereotypes to them.  Joining in on the joke fest that certain women’s bodies are unacceptable is just plain not helpful when we’re trying to build the beloved community.
 
I love your nuanced concern for my boxer-bearing brothers.  Can it extend to sisters too, who are making clothing decisions under similarly oppressive conditions?