16. Michigan: Husbands Permitting Haircuts
This outdated piece of patriarchal legislation remains technically on the books, serving as a stark reminder of historical gender inequalities and early family law. An old statute explicitly dictates that women are not allowed to get their hair cut without obtaining their husbands’ direct permission. The law originates from early twentieth-century societal norms and coverture laws, where women were frequently treated as legal dependents of their spouses. The popularity of the short bob haircut in the 1920s triggered massive moral panics among conservative lawmakers, leading to this restrictive legislation. Today, it is completely superseded by modern civil rights laws and ignored by every salon in the state.