User talk:Mule77

SAGGING

        Introduction Sagging is a manner of wearing trousers (slacks, shorts, pants or jeans) below the waist, hanging around the back area. The underwear is usually exposed, but skin is not typically shown. Usually the type of underwear worn is boxers or boxer briefs but some wear briefs as well. Teen-boys and young men wear the style. I took a survey in Karen Area, and I come to discover that many young people have a common way of dressing. I did my research in two parishes: St Johns and Karen Parish. Origin of Sagging Trousers It is thought that the low-slung style originated in US prisons, inmates were issued with sometimes ill-fitting uniforms, but because of the suicide risk, not issued belts. Sagging is also thought to reflect willingness by a prisoner to engage in submissive homosexual activity. The trend passed into popular urban culture via hip-hop. It was adopted by a variety of rap artists, which enhanced its perceived tough-guy cachet. Sagging can even be taken a step further by wearing the droopy breeches backwards. By 1995 the style had seeped into mainstream teen culture. Pants worn this way are kept up by constant hitching, an act that becomes an integral part of the walking style of the wearer. While sagging did gain its start in the U.S. prison system, it was not clothes wearing style authored by imprisoned homosexuals’ intent upon advertising their interest in casual flings. Another theory says ghetto hoodlums adopted the fashion of wearing their pants in the sagging style to better conceal weapons from rival gang members and police. While it is true a gun or knife can be effectively stashed out of sight in droopy pants, it can also be hidden in more form-fitting bottoms, especially when the pants wearer tops his cache with an untucked sports jersey, pullover, or sweatshirt. A number of young people embrace sagging; it is far removed from being the subject of widespread approval outside that demographic. Various communities have attempted to ban this form of fashion but in many cases all in vein. From the Field. Sample of the answers given by the young people and parents from St John Parish and Karen Parish in relation to the issue of sagging trousers. Question: Do have any idea on the origin of sagging? How do you perceive it?

From the young people Respondent A Where it came from, I do not know. Honestly, I think it looks disgusting, sloppy, and immature--especially when the people show three inches of their boxers above the pant line. I hate it. Imagine someone entering in the church a sagged trouser. Why are we loosing our culture? Respondent B About the origin, I know nothing. I am a girl and I think it is hot. I like it when they sag and about 4 inches of their underwear, preferably boxers, show. It is hot! I think it is sexy. I only urge them to wear boxers underneath. Respondent C People should respect themselves more. If you only feel good about yourself  when you dress bad then you have a problem. Respondent D What I know is it comes from the U.S and that all. I think it depends on the person. My boyfriend does it, just a little and it looks fine but on certain people, it is like...disgusting and weird. Respondent E Actually, the style was developed in prison for gay people who are "advertising" and are available. When some of these people got out of jail, it started the trend but no one really knows the underlying meaning behind it. Honestly, young people today do not know it imprecations. Respondent F Its origin is not very important; for it is like an in-born thing, I love it. I do not only sag the jeans trousers but also my suit trousers. When I sag, is when I feel that am wearing something. There’s no big deal about the whole saggy pants law is being blown way out of proportion. It is just a fashion phase a state of rabblement that many of our parents did when they where young. With the whole afro’s and back to the hippies and on from there it will eventually phase out and no one will care

From the parents and guardians Respondent A As the mother of a teenage boy, I dislike the sagging pants look. I am always admonishing him to pull up his pants and he is not allowed to wear them terribly low. I sometimes see youths at Karen center and Nairobi town with their pants  so low they are forced to walk as if they have a load in their pants. It is embarrassing; the western culture has really done a great damage on our kids. Respondent B The dressing comes from celebrates, they are models of our children to and that the fact. Maybe just a concern: Our children chose the clothes they wore and if their choice was in line with our guidelines, we paid for their choices until they were old enough to pay for their own. If they chose something, we did not agree with, they could choose to buy it themselves or choose something within our guidelines. Baggy pants were not considered safe, in our home. Shame on the schools that do not enforce their dress code and any other rules they have (or shame on the parents that do not allow them to enforce the rules. What a disservice to children when parents are not involved in teaching them to make choices that have consequences they can thrive on. Children, like adults, do not always make good choices. There should be no question about the fact that they are responsible for the consequences of all their choices, not someone else. Respondent C As the mother of two teenagers, one boy, one girl, I can honestly say that I have not always liked what my children’s choices are, where clothes are concerned. The origin of sagging I am not all that sure what I have seen is my son does wear his pants saggy and I hate it. I also have not liked my daughter’s choice in jeans; too tight. When way it is not all that big deal. Another thing is, as long as there is something covering their private areas; my children have every right to look as ridiculous as they want (in my opinion). Just as I have every right to not like it and say so, freedom of speech, they can wear it, freedom expression. Sorry, but I believe that when raising children you pick your battles. This is not a battle worth fighting. Drugs, alcohol, fighting, skipping school, theft, or any number of things that will harm my children are the battles I concentrate on ant not their britches. If the police ever came to my home and told me my son was being arrested for his pants being saggy, that officer better be ready to explain to me how he has the right to violate my sons civil rights. Saggy Trouser as a subculture and its impact on there young people From the research I took in two parishes, I came to know that many young people who saggy the pants have very little knowledge on their style of dressing. It was even had for them to explain how sagging of pants came in. the only obvious answer for the was; it’s a fashion, and we normally copy from our models (celebrates). Majority of the people talked to expressed disappointment in the young people  presenting themselves in that kind of dressing. Primarily, sagging` s origin is ambiguous and it does not have any good aspect attached to it. According to the research done in two parishes, it is evident enough that sagging has a great impact in the actors. Looking at it origin and it characteristics, many people talked to described these young people as people who have deviant behavior. Sagging according to its history, it is related to homosexuality, and other deviant behaviors. Coming to it social organization of sagging, from my research I concluded that sagging trousers in karen has no norms or guidelines. It is just a culture young people are coping from the Television and magazines. There are no symbols nor signs that makes the to easily recognize themselves apart from sagging their trousers. In other words, young people without critical reflection copy this subculture. Conclusion Sagging is a common behavioral pattern adopted by many young in Karen and Kenya at large, which has become a culture on its own. Many young people perceive it as a fashion and they identify themselves through it. However, the fact is that sagging trousers was not meant to be a fashion, it came in because as the result of those who where realized form the prison. In prisons they were not allowed to wear belts as a result their trousers were hanging below. Moreover, it was taken as traction to homosexuality in the prisons. In this respect, sagging can be classified a negative subculture.

Saggy Trouser