Op-Ed: Op-comic: Women’s pants are making more than a fashion statement

By Caite McNeil

Sept. 30, 2024 3 AM PT

Women's pants are having a moment, from Kamala Harris' pantsuits to German gymnasts' uniforms to JLo's winnning style.

Women's pants have a complicated history. Ancient Scythian women were derided by the old Greeks for wearing pants in battle.

Trousers became common for men in the Middle Ages. For centuries, women wore forms of "the dress" with some exceptions.

In 1895, the press questioned whether Annie Smith Peck should be arrested for wearing trousers to summit the Matterhorn.

In World Wars I and II, women wore slacks to work. Women's rights movements in the 1960s and '70s further challenged norms.

Alas, patriarchy managed to stall things with bans. Pants are zeitgeisty because they're finally ours to play with and in.

Today, our athletes wear clothing that's focused on winning. And styles today are more accommodating to lots of body types.

But we must be vigilant, as some men will always loathe what our pants symbolize. Our battle cry: "Stay out of our pants!"

Caite McNeil is a writer and cartoonist. @Quantumcartwheel

More to Read

More From the Los Angeles Times

Most Read in Opinion