It appears the city of Gary may try to phase out saggy, droopy pants.
The Gary Youth Council has overwhelming voted in favor of an ordinance that would ban wearing saggy pants in public.
Youth Council President Dai'one Fields says the vote was six to zero.
“To recommend an ordinance to the Gary Common Council to ban sagging pants in public places, on public property,” Fields says.
Fields says a city council member asked his group to weigh in on the issue before the city council considered the ordinance. He says the youth council believes that wearing saggy pants below the waistline is distasteful, disrespectful and doesn't encourage good behavior among young people.
Fields says the feeling is unanimous.
“The Gary Youth Council voted six to zero for the sagging pants recommendation to be recommended to the Gary Common Council,” Fields says. “So, at this point, we don’t have anyone on the council that’s opposed to the ban.”
Meantime, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson has said she would support such an ordinance on grounds that loose-fitting pants amount to indecent exposure.
Fields says the city council is expected to take up the issue within the next month. The ordinance aims to cite those who wear saggy pants in public. Whether the ordinance can withstand legal challenges remains in question.