Recently it was reported that some companies in Japan had banned women from wearing glasses because some retail chains said that shop assistants who wore glasses give a ‘cold impression’. Other companies claimed that it was a safety hazard. Naturally, the ban has led to heated debates on social media. This story was broken by Japan’s Nippon TV.
And now, with the hashtag #GlassesAreForbidden, the topic continues to rage.
This isn’t the first time women have had to protest against unfair beauty standards imposed on them. The ongoing #KuToo movement has many women across Japan protesting against the policy of high heels in work spaces.
But what’s interesting is that Japan’s ban on eye-wear is one of the many ridiculous bans on women across the world. Let’s take a look.
1. Being Drunk in Public
Married women living in La Paz, Bolivia are limited to only one glass of wine in any public bar or restaurant. And God forbid a woman is caught intoxicated, because according to the law, they can then be legally divorced by their husbands. For all you know, women in La Paz might just be getting drunk because they want a divorce from their husbands!
2. Reading an Uncensored Fashion Magazine
Not very long ago, Saudi Arabia got rid of the ban that doesn’t allow women to drive. Unfortunately, that didn’t pave way for removing other bans that the country has still imposed on women. But what takes the cake is the ban on women and their reading habits. Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to read an uncensored fashion magazine, or enter a cemetery. We are dead serious about this one.
3. Unshaven Bodies
One of the vaguest and totally weird laws I have ever come across is one that bans women from going out unshaven. In Carrizozo, New Mexico, it is illegal for a woman to appear unshaven in public.
Meanwhile the women there every day....
4. Polishing Glass
For some weird reason, women in Argentina are not allowed to polish glasses. It’s clearly one of those archaic laws without any logic. But if you ask me, it seems like a blessing for women who’ve been burdened with domestic labour for centuries. Men, it’s your turn now!
5. Ban Against Shopping
Confessions of an (Indian) 20-year-old shopaholic... oh wait, there aren’t any because they can't enter the marketplace! In 2012, after a Khap Panchayat ruling in Asra village, UP, women under 40 years of age were not allowed to enter the marketplace.
Special Mention
Well, all is not lost and there’s one particular ban that deserves a special mention. As the world is progressing, some of these draconian laws are changing. In October 2019, Iran won their World Cup qualifying match against Cambodia by 14-0 but the one-sided game will be remembered much more for the scenes in the stands. Thousands of Iranian women attended the match freely after the ban on them watching sports was lifted. A long, long way to go!
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