Montana Lawmaker Moves To Ban Clothing That 'Stimulates The Genitals'

Montana Lawmaker Moves To Ban Clothing That 'Stimulates The Genitals'

"Yoga pants should be illegal in public." Montana State Rep. David Moore

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Topping my list of crazy legislation for the month of February is Montana House Bill 365 that, if passed, would outlaw:

"any device, costume, or covering that gives the appearance of or simulates the genitals, pubic hair, anus region, or pubic hair region." 

Mother Jones reported today that State Rep. David Moore (photo right) authored HB 365 after he was scandalized and presumably scarred for life by a group of nudist bicyclists who rode through Missoula last summer in the altogether. Now he wants a kind of American Taliban passing judgement on all clothing worn on the streets of Montana. 

Rep. Moore told reporters he is completely ok with citizens being arrested for wearing provocative clothing. He said he trusts law enforcement officers to use their discretion on whom to arrest. (We know that always works out well.) Rep. Moore said under his bill, tight fitting beige clothing would be considered indecent exposure, and Speedos would be banned.

"Yoga pants should be illegal in public anyway," Moore said after the hearing.

While my inclination is to laugh off Rep.Moore and HB 365, Montana legislators have made themselves arbiters of public decently before. Just last December the Republican-controlled legislature issued a new dress-code for the state capitol, admonishing women to "be sensitive to skirt lengths and necklines." 

Montana would not be the first locale to enable officials to roam the streets judging citizen clothing choices. Maybe Saudi Arabia would be willing to train the Montana police.