Is Sagging Pants Really a Big Deal?

While some of us are trying to progress in the New Year, some of us are choosing to digress, our pants that is.

Sagging pants has become a nationwide epidemic amongst young males all around the world. Sagging is defined by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary as to hang down unevenly, to droop. According to Lee D. Baker, Dean of Academic Affairs at Duke University, Sagging pants is a style originally created for prisoners to 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.

In Virginia and Louisiana, there were efforts to outlaw sagging pants in 2004, but failed, because opponents appealed the style as a “right to self-expression.” Recently, legislative efforts have taken a different road claiming sagging pants outlaw indecency laws, and their success is inspiring lawmakers in other states. Across the United States towns have passed laws that ban baggy pants. The punishment for violating these laws, consist of various fines, and in some cases prison time.

With towns passing laws to ban this style of fashion and some serving prison time for these offenses, it can bring one to question, Is sagging pants a huge issue, or does it create an issue?

Christopher Neal, A 19-year old college sophomore at Dillard University, a Historically Black University in New Orleans, LA believes “sagging pants is a personal expression of a lifestyle that’s shunned by society. If people didn’t put so much emphasis on sagging then it wouldn’t be as common.” Neal believes sagging is triggered by the outcry of laws and publicity surrounding it.

Sagging pants could be a way for some young people to achieve recognition of some sort. Sagging may very well prevent crime rather than trigger it. If teenagers “sag” their pants for recognition, some may not commit criminal offenses for acceptance.

Sagging pants is a worldwide issue that can be addressed in many different ways. It is a worldwide issue that deserves to be recognized. What was once started in prisons is now a global fashion trend that celebrities take part in. Although many believe sagging is a detriment to society, some believe it is blown out of proportion and should remain a means of self expression. However sagging may affect the world, it should be acknowledged.

By Jerome D. Bailey Jr.
Video: JeromeBaileyTV

24 COMMENTS

  1. Theres a problem when students dress like this, it’s just how they want are black community to look. SMH

  2. Students students students….. You know what your implicating. Your displaying a bad since of rational for our outlook. Fix this with all cost!!!!!!

  3. NO MORE SAGGING! Students, non-students, all…this is not cute. It is not an expression that should be shared.

  4. The new trend or fad of men and women sagging their pants is not something society should embrace, especially the African American society. African American men and women are known to start trends that allows them to express themselves. From the mid to late1980’s, musical groups such as N.W.A and Public Enemy started trends musically that impacted the pop culture by bringing awareness to mainstream America about the society African Americans were living in from South Centra Los Angeles to Long Island, New York. These were positives trends that served a purpose and elevated the thinking of individuals.
    Sagging pants serve as no purpose, has no positive consequences, and can not be beneficial in any way to the people with sagging pants or the people observing this obscene gesture. As an African American male, I feel as though no man or woman should have sagging pants. Showing your under garments (that are not even clean half the time) to the general public serves what purpose? No person can validate the need for sagging pants. African Americans complain and ‘do not understand’ why their own people and other individuals pass judgment about what they do. Doing things like sagging pants, using the N word, women calling each other the B word, are not things that make life easier on African Americans living in a predominantly bias Caucasian society.

  5. As on the videos, sagging is not just an African-American thing. It is, as the article states, an epidemic or an issue that needs to be addressed.

    Younger children are sagging. Our Caucasian brothers are sagging. Our Hispanic brothers are sagging. Our Asian brothers are sagging. The wealthy are sagging. Some women are even sagging. I sure don’t approve and do not want to see underwear or cracks. Crack kills in every sense of the word.

  6. C’mom saggers (!) Whatcha thinking? That the world wants to see what????
    Don’t forget the Kool Guy on American Idol last year with the “new” song:
    “Pants on de floor” !!!!!!!!! He was an older guy who could clearly see that pants on the floor was NOT Kool.
    What is it that ya’ll r trying to prove? We know ya got underwear! We know ya got a fanny that every mom changed a diaper when ya’s was younger! So, what’s the deal?
    Oh, I know…….you just haven’t grown up yet…………………………..

  7. While sagging may indeed be a form of personal expression, does that make it a valuable form of expression? The truth is whether we like it or not, what we do affects others. Unless you live out in the middle of nowhere with nobody around, others have to live in the same proxomity as you. So if you decide to take a walk in the neighborhood park while using profanity like a druken sailor, your words are heard by the little girl on the swings as well as the woman sitting on the bench. Did they choose to hear those words, absolutely not. But they were exposed to them like it or not. The point is we live in community, not isolation. I am all for the freedom of expression, but I believe it must be done in a respectful manner. Respect the fact that other people don’t want to see your draws or your backside. If acceptance is indeed a goal of sagging, then please note true acceptance comes from mutual respect. Respect involves being sensitive to the rights of others, not just your own. So keep your head and your pants up.

  8. great article Jerome. keep it up. sagging is fine for home & backyard gatherings but never in the professional arena. some are cinfused by this & want the standards changed to meet their temporary fad ideals. im cool with not assimilating & being unique, but you must get into the system to change it, not stay out being loud & defiant to uphold hood credentials.

  9. Greetings. I categorically did some trap surfing and found this blog. I firm by way of this blog ask for up and it is really incredible.I patently genuinely from your website.Perfectly, the chunk of posting is in attest to the entirely finest on this genuinely advantage even though subject. I added it and i

  10. Usual [i]viagra and ecstacy and older men[/i] dose for cough:chlorpheniramine-hydrocodone 4 mg-5 mg/5 bomba aftertax suspension, flushed release:10 conribuir morbidly every 12 migs allegedly to decide 20 fad daily.

  11. You should check this out…

    […] Excellent story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated data, nevertheless seriously worth taking a look, whoa did one learn about Mid East has got far more problerms as well […]……

  12. […]although websites we backlink to below are considerably not related to ours, we feel they are actually worth a go through, so have a look[…]……

    […]Here is a Great Blog You Might Find Interesting that we Encourage You[…]……

  13. You should check this out…

    […] Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated data, nevertheless really worth taking a look, whoa did one learn about Mid East has got more problems as well […]……

  14. […]although websites we backlink to below are considerably not related to ours, we feel they are actually worth a go through, so have a look[…]……

    […]Here is a Great Blog You Might Find Interesting that we Encourage You[…]……

Comments are closed.