Paris To Permit Women To Wear Pants

[ccharles000]

A long-standing law in Paris, France that forbids women to wear trousers, might soon be repealed, the Telegraph UK reports. Ten French ministers submitted a bill to parliament to get rid of the outdated law, which was put into place in 1799.

The law was amended several times: once in 1892 to allow women to sport trousers while riding horses and again in 1909 to permit the ladies to wear pants while on bicycles.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently called on parliament to take a look at French laws that need reworking. The France pants ban is one of them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/05/paris-to-permit-women-to_n_564345.html

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. So Is That Where The Line "In France The Women Wear No Pants" Comes From

~

[Toucano]

3. Probably not.

The line is, "...There's a place in France were the women wear no pants and the men go 'round..."


Since it references "a place in France" and not all of France, nor have we revealed the place where the men go 'round...I think we have to conclude that they are not related.

LOL!

[salguine]

18. I don't think that's the "no pants" the line meant. Giggidy giggidy!

[fujiyama]

2. Strange. Sounds like one of those dumb laws that's on the books

but no one enforces them. I don't understand why they didn't just repeal this a while ago.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. I am assuming this law is one of those that is on the books, but never enforced.

[Vickers]

5. Obviously. I have a picture of my (soon-to-be) wife wearing pants in Paris

in 1989 (the 100th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower).

[Drunken Irishman]

7. They didn't shoot her?

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. yeah, women in Paris wear pants

[Warren DeMontague]

6. As much as I like women without pants

it really should be up to them.

[HughMoran]

13. lol

[Incitatus]

8. .

[gateley]

9. I think many laws are still on the books that were enacted when there was

a need (although I don't consider this to fall in the "need" category) which become forgotten over the years when it's no longer pertinent. I've heard of several in Seattle (damn if I can remember just one now) that were pretty humorous in this day and age.

[jannyk]

10. ok, I dont find this at all odd, but maybe....

...that's because I'm from the UK where, Hackney Cabs (Taxis to you), are still required by law to carry a bale of straw and water for their horses (of course none do). And if you have less than a 'shilling in your pocket', you can be arrested for vagrancy.

I'm betting there are some wild and crazy old laws still on the books in the US too.

[Meldread]

11. Ha. Yeah, there are quite a few! Here are some:

In South Carolina:

If a man promises to marry an unmarried woman, the marriage must take place.

It is illegal to give or receive oral sex.

It is perfectly legal to beat your wife on the court house steps on Sundays.

Every adult male is required to bring a gun to church on Sunday in order to ward off a potential attack by Native Americans.

In my home state of Virginia:

It is illegal to have sex with the lights on, and on top of that (literally!) the only legal sexual act is missionary.

It is illegal to bribe any other person other than candidates for political office.

As in South Carolina it is not only against the law to receive or give oral sex, it's also illegal to have anal sex, or to have sex if not married.

It is illegal to tickle women.

Here are a few from my sometimes state of New York:

Women may go topless in public, providing it is not being used as a business.

Citizens may not greet each other by “putting one’s thumb to the nose and wiggling the fingers”.

A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting.

It is against the law to throw a ball at someone’s head for fun.

The penalty for jumping off a building is death.

While riding in an elevator, one must talk to no one, and fold his hands while looking toward the door.

Slippers are not to be worn after 10:00 PM.

Looking at these, I cannot help but feel New York had many different concerns than those concerns being held in Virginia and South Carolina!

[Berry Cool]

16. I suspect a lot of these so-called "laws" are made up

by people trying to sell books of "funny old laws."

You know: "Did you know that in Omaha, Nebraska, you are forbidden to beat a fish as a form of discipline, unless you are its owner? Hahahahaha!"

[Meldread]

19. Here is the legal code for a couple of them:

South Carolina's "If a man seduces a woman and promises to marry an unmarried woman, the marriage must take place."

Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses
CHAPTER 15.
OFFENSES AGAINST MORALITY AND DECENCY
ARTICLE 1.
MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES


SECTION 16-15-50. Seduction under promise of marriage.

A male over the age of sixteen years who by means of deception and promise of marriage seduces an unmarried woman in this State is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined at the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than one year. There must not be a conviction under this section on the uncorroborated testimony of the woman upon whom the seduction is charged, and no conviction if at trial it is proved that the woman was at the time of the alleged offense lewd and unchaste. If the defendant in any action brought under this section contracts marriage with the woman, either before or after the conviction, further proceedings of this section are stayed.

Virginia's "No oral or anal sex allowed."

18.2-361. Crimes against nature.


A. If any person carnally knows in any manner any brute
animal, or carnally knows any male or female person by the
anus or by or with the mouth, or voluntarily submits to
such carnal knowledge, he or she shall be guilty of a Class
6 felony, except as provided in subsection B.

B. Any person who carnally knows by the anus or by or with
the mouth his daughter or granddaughter, son or grandson,
brother or sister, or father or mother shall be guilty of a
Class 5 felony. However, if a parent or grandparent commits
any such act with his child or grandchild and such child or
grandchild is at least thirteen but less than eighteen
years of age at the time of the offense, such parent or
grandparent shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.

(Code 1950, � 18.1-212; 1960, c. 358; 1968, c. 427; 1975,
cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 285; 1981, c. 397; 1993, c. 450.)

Although, to be fair, this is technically no longer a law in Virginia. It was repealed in 2003 by the US Supreme Court in Lawrence v Texas. The key word in the first sentence is "technically" as Virginia does not recognize the fact that it has been repealed. In other words, cops are still going out and arresting gay men for sodomy, only to have a judge overturn it due to Lawrence v Texas. The above law is actually, I believe, the "newer" version of the law passed after Lawrence, which like the old version is unconstitutional. Arrests are still being made though, with the sole purpose to intimidate and harass.

Of course, now the "Cooch" is giving the quiet green light to the arrests as well. Read more about that http://www.bilerico.com/2010/03/cuccinelli_gay_acts_are_a_detriment_to_society_end.php">here.

[HereSince1628]

12. Mon dieu!

That curve takes France in a dangerous direction...the end of civilization is at hand!!!!!!

When will the Rat Pope weigh in on the ruination of French family values!?

[rucky]

14. The Fashion Police is too busy from head scarf patrols.

[marmar]

15. I've been to Paris several times and have seen plenty of women wearing "trousers"....

C'est absurde. One of those laws that exists but doesn't really exist.

[dems_rightnow]

17. I will continue to request that they remove them

.... regardless of the law.