User:TheOnlyAussy/sandbox

Origin
The style of the sagging pants came about during the hip-hop era as a result of the oversized clothing fashion trend. This fashion style, which was incorporated into the hip-hop culture, became particularly adapted by the younger generation that consisted of mainly ethnic minorities such as the African Americans and Latino groups. Alongside the adaptation of the youth in this era, it was also claimed that the sagging pants style was heavily influenced by the social construct of the American prison system.

Once an individual becomes imprisoned, they are given oversized jumpsuits that make it difficult for the prisoner to maneuver in. Belts are strictly prohibited for security measures so that a prisoner can not use it for self-harm such as suicide, or as a weapon to use against other inmates and authority.

In Jamaica and many islands in the Caribbean, the saggy pants style and the exposure of underwear is often brought into discussion along with homosexuality. It is believed that wearing pants below the waist, therefore exposing underwear implies that an individual is attempting to attract gay men. Some of the terms used to categorize people such as "battyman" are meant to describe and sometimes insult those who express themselves in a matter that supports homosexuality. Except-able cases where the saggy pants style is portrayed different is by Jamaican males who perform for the dancehall music and fashion culture. This adapted culture signifies as a place for freedom of expression and liveliness for both genders and for equal expression of sexuality. The American society is different however, where the adaptation of the saggy pants style became associated with the gangster, thug mentality. For men, wearing baggy pants below the waist was a preferred style rather than wearing tight clothing as this was instead seen as a form of dress style worn by men who are gay.

Some studies have shown that young male skateboarders also dress in similar styles, with that being the baggy pants and off the waist look. The loose clothing, baggy and sagging pants style is a common dress code amongst these group of individuals and are also victim to the stereotype comments in regard to homosexuality.

Stylistic Resistance
The concepts of subculture and stylistic resistance arise from the understanding that the dominant ideologies, meanings and perspectives manifested in a society are challenged by social groups such as the young black teenagers in support or their own meanings and perspectives. As a youth subculture, they are often perceived as "deviant" due to their resistance to the normalities developed in society. For the style of the sagging pants, those who decide to dress in that particular way are seen to be rejecting the accepted standards of fashion. Freedom of expression and identity are what youth attempt to achieve by dressing in particular ways that do not associate or follow a set of rules regardless of how they are perceived in society. Power becomes the main factor in how the society functions, correlates and abides to the normalities created within it.

Behaviour
The sagging pants fashion style is often connected to an individual's own behaviour. Depending on how the person is being viewed tends to determine the way they act in the public eye. Wearing the pants off the waist appears to be an observation that not every individual approves of.

Attitude and Self-Expression
The freedom to express oneself and furthermore reject to social standards in proper dress can create tensions between the interactions of individuals. Wearing saggy pants during a time that is not appropriate, such as at a wedding, job interview or an important function, may imply that the individual is unable to conduct themselves in a mannerly and respectful way. Those who oppose authority take on the subjectivity of being named deviant and thus act accordingly by behaving in a negative manner. Amongst youth, it is believed that their commitment to following their own subcultures overpowers the stereotypes and perspectives that are received from authorial figures such as educators, guardians, and law enforcement.

Profiling
In modern contemporary societies, the sagging pants style tends to be viewed and categorized under the dress styles of those who represent themselves in a negative way. If an individual sags their pants, the perception is that they are affiliated with bad acts, similar to the representation of a 'thug'. In more serious cases, this idea of profiling can stem from negative interactions between races. Particularly with ethnic minorities such as African Americans, the issue of racial profiling can arise from one party targeting the other for reasons going beyond just their dress attire. The sagging pants style which is mostly observed on individuals who are of these ethnic minorities are susceptible to racial stereotypes meant to profile and portray their backgrounds in a negative connotation. The assumption that because the individual is a particular race and is dressing in a particular way that goes against social norms, they are to be presumed to be affiliated with bad intentions.

Reaction
In a 2011 airlines incident, a young black student and passenger named Deshon Marman was asked by the flight attendant onboard to pull his pants up before coming onboard a flight in San Francisco. After refusing to do so assuming that he was being racially profiled, he was later arrested for trespassing by police officers. The charges were dropped, however, another incident took place around the same time involving a white man who was seen wearing women's underwear onboard a flight. The individual was not asked any questions, and as a result, awareness of the racial profiling came about by Marman's attorney.