China may ban clothes that hurt people's feelings. People are outraged.
China could land themselves in trouble with the government for their fashion choices.
Flared pants and bluejeans were considered «weird attire.» Some government buildings barred men with long hair and women wearing makeup and jewelry. Patrols organized by factories and schools cut flared pants and long hair with scissors.
It was the early days of China's era of reform and opening up.
The Communist Party was loosening its tight control over society, and the public was pushing the limits of self-expression and individualism. The battle over the height of women's heels and the length of men's hair embodied the struggle.
Now, the government is proposing amendments to a law that could result in detention and fines for «wearing clothing or bearing symbols in public that are detrimental to the spirit of the Chinese people and hurt the feelings of Chinese people.» What could be construed as an offense wasn't specified.
The plan has been widely criticized, with Chinese legal scholars, journalists and businesspeople voicing their concerns over the past week.
If it goes into effect, they argue, it could give authorities the power to police anything they dislike. It would be a big step backward in the public's relationship with the government.
«In Chinese history, the times when clothing and hairstyles were given significant attention often corresponded to 'bad moments in history,'» someone using the name Zhang Sanfeng wrote on the social media platform WeChat.
«The introduction of the amendments didn't come from nothing. It's a response to some strange sentiments emerging in our society.» The article was widely circulated before being purged by censors.
Under the rule of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the government has been fixated
