Gina Heslop
Midwest Wine and Spirits, a liquor store in Oklahoma City, has caused a stir by posting a sign instructing customers to “Pull your pants up!”, with those who do not comply being told that they are not welcome in the store.
The store manager said the sign was a response to the growing number of customers entering the store with sagging pants that reveal their underwear and backsides. The management finds this fashion statement “disrespectful and disgusting”.
Although some people have accused the sign of being racist or discriminatory, the management stands by it, arguing that sagging pants pose a security risk and could even be seen as an invitation to sexual assault.
One customer, Sunshine Weatherby, suggested that the store had questionable moral grounds on which to judge people since it sells liquor. However, she did not call for the sign to be removed, arguing that the store has the right to serve the customers they choose, so long as they are treating everyone equally.
Some employees believe that sagging pants make it easier for customers to steal bottles, making it difficult for them to differentiate between customers who are shoplifting and those who are not.
The store’s sign has been described as direct and to the point, with most people agreeing that sagging pants are inappropriate in public. The article concludes by suggesting that if customers want to show off their backsides, they should do so in an establishment where it is appropriate, such as certain nightclubs or bars. It is not clear whether the sign will remain in place or be removed in response to the controversy it has generated.
