There are two reasons I have dropped out of a Zero Waste
online community. One being one user I
won’t name, the other being the other user I won’t name. Both hate the fact that I carry stuff to work and sometimes don’t have a
reusable bag if I need to buy groceries after work. One accused me of only wanting to help the
environment for internet points
because I told her I was leaving due to her (if you can’t tell it’s your own
attitude when you're told so, you have a
major problem) and the other accused me of being responsible for sweatshops in
China because my jeans had no pockets.
First of all, I get my jeans second-hand, thank you. Second of all, India, Thailand, and
Mexico. Third, what rock are you living
under where you don’t know most women’s jeans are still pocketless?
You’d think women’s pants are usually pocketless because
pockets would mess up the look of the hipline.
That’s not true. Search a
clothing site for skirts or pants with
pockets for women and you’ll find a lot of options. Heck, some fancy dresses have pockets. I made a historic dress with pockets as a
kid.
But why so many pants with no pockets?
Well, there’s some history the fashion industry pretends not
to still be involved with.
As a lot of fashion trends, it starts in France. Back in the days before the revolution, only
peasants wore long pants with pockets.
If the poor were robbed, it was because someone put their hands on their
pants; if the rich got robbed, someone put their hands on their servant.
When the Revolution came, the longer pants with pockets
became a symbol of independence. Guess
who wasn’t supposed to have independence still?
That’s right. It
would be over a century for women to get to wear pants in general, let alone
have pockets. When women sewed pants
into pockets for themselves, they were labeled as ‘sex fiends’. Keep in mind; this is back when women
actually having libidos could get them sent to insane asylums.
Despite women's empowerment, fashion still insists women be
stuck without pockets and thus force them to take a bag, often a purse. While cute, it often screams ‘I have
valuables in me! Take me!’
Thankfully, pockets don’t have any cruel connotation, save
for those like above who just want to start fights. Besides, what’s wrong with being a sex fiend,
as long as you’re a respectful one? Do
we really need a violent revolution and chopping off heads just to be able to
carry our keys and reusable bags in a safer and more comfortable way?
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