My pants are sexist, and yours are too

This isn't a food related issue, and although I want this blog to be primarily about food, I also want to raise some other issues that are interesting.

For instance: have you ladies out there ever been annoyed by the fact that your pants pockets are about 2 inches deep? I have. If there are pockets in my pants, why aren't they useful? A few times I have tucked my phone in my pockets only to have it slip out just because of the normal movements of my leg. Almost as bad is when you put some change in your pocket and have to wrestle with it because your pocket is too tight.

Why is this? Well, I've come to realize that it is probably a result of the internalized "female" image our society has. Nearly all women are seen carrying some sort of bag these days, and in this bag we are supposed to carry our phones, over sized wallets, water bottles, small dogs, you name it. Even if we cut it down to the bare minimum items of wallet and cell phone (and maybe an iPod), you just can't shove those into your pockets. Instead you are supposed to buy a purse and use that to carry your stuff.

This could be the result of having typically "feminine" clothing items, such as dresses and skirts, not having pockets. Through most of history it seems that sort of detachable pockets such as this:

were used, however with the gradual acceptance of women wearing historically "men's wear" (ie pants), you might expect them to be a bit more unisex. Nope, instead we can wear pants but still have the privilege of being encumbered by an over sized bag.

Personally, I think the reason women's pants pockets aren't functional is because we are still supposed to maintain some portion of our girlish figures even garbed in men's attire. Our pants are typically tighter and you can see every curve, so the bulge of a Blackberry on the front of the thigh might not be seen as appealing.

As women, we are expected to follow (if not actively, then at least passively) the current trends in clothing based on what we are able to buy in stores. Currently, that trend is skinny jeans which, let's face it, only look good on a few people. However, since that is "in" at the time and there are almost no baggier sizes, we are forced to go with the ones so tight that if you could fit a quarter into the back pocket, you could probably read the date. By buying these pants, you are conforming with the current image of what a "woman" is in society and there is no space for function (literally) within that frame.

Why have room for your wallet when it will only make your ass look bigger? If it were any bigger, you couldn't fit into these pants. Go buy yourself a coach purse you could use as a flotation device to make yourself smaller by comparison. Why don't you have one already?

(image taken from here)
I know that it isn't an authentic colonial pocket, but it's the same style.