Most of the things that are banned by governments are those ones that may harm people and lead to catastrophic results such as death or lead to destroying relations between countries. This does not mean that all the things which are banned are the same as there are several things that are banned by governments in some countries and are believed to be ridiculous for many people who live outside these countries. When you read more about some of what is banned by governments here, you will be shocked and you will also laugh because some of what is banned is really funny. There are several reasons that led to banning what is presented here and they are thought by the governments to be strong enough to ban these things. Here is a quick glance at some of the strangest things that have been banned in countries and you are given the right to decide whether they deserve to be banned or not.
♦ Banning game consoles in China
Video games are really effective and are also thought to be destructive to the extent that there are several countries which seriously believe that they should be banned. China is the 1st one in the world in terms of manufacturing game consoles; however their sale has been banned by the government since 2000 for the sake of protecting youth in China. The government believes that playing games can make youth waste their time and leave their work. Other types of games “non-console games” are not banned which makes some people think that it is really strange to specifically ban this type of games unlike other types that also waste time.
♦ Banning emo clothing in Russia
It is a normal thing to find that there are some people who do not like specific fashion trends such as emo fashion, but when it comes to governments, you will feel that it is completely strange. It really happened when the Russian government banned emo clothing and prevented people from wearing this type of clothes at any place particularly in public places such as government buildings and public schools. But why such a thing has happened?
The main reason behind banning emo clothing by the Russian government is that it was considered to be chiefly responsible for the high suicide rates among teens which makes the country believe that the emo fashion threatens the national stability and this is why it has been banned.
♦ Banning Western haircuts in Iran
The Western culture is capable of invading different countries in the Middle East and its effects appear more among young people “youth” especially in the fields of fashion trends, hairstyles and haircuts. The strong effect of the Western culture led some countries, which hate this culture, in the Middle East to ban what is related to the Western culture.
Iran is one of these countries since it has banned all the hairstyles that are affected by the Western culture and are not approved by the government. The male hairstyles which are banned in Iran include spikes, mullets and ponytails. Ignoring this law by a barber’s shop can lead to shutting the shop down and penalizing its owner.
♦ Banning Valentine’s Day in Saudi Arabia
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in different countries around the world even in the Middle East without any problem, but when it comes to Saudi Arabia, you will find that it is completely different. Celebrating this day is banned in Saudi Arabia because it is believed to be against Islam and violates Muslims’ beliefs. The red color is also banned to appear on this day whether it is by florists or at gift shops. In fact, lovers do not pay attention to this law and do not respect it as they buy all the red flowers that they want and the gifts that they like to present to their beloved from the black market where the prices are 6 times higher than the ordinary prices.
♦ Banning Ovaltine & Marmite in Denmark
All the types of fortified foods and products are banned in Denmark making it entirely impossible for you to purchase Ovaltine, Marmite, fortified breakfast cereals and other fortified products in this country. Selling fortified products and even possessing them is illegal in Denmark making us feel that they are treated like drugs.
♦ Banning some baby names in Denmark
Have you ever imagined that selecting a name for your baby is going to be controlled by the government? This is exactly what happens in Denmark as you are not allowed to freely choose a name for your baby. There is a list of 24,000 baby names from which you can choose a name for your baby. These names are officially approved by the government and if you want to choose another name for your baby, then you have to get permission from the government.
♦ Banning jogging in Burundi
If you are in Burundi and want to go jogging, you have to forget about it or you will face many problems. Group jogs are banned by the President of Burundi himself to protect the country as he claims that group jogs are used as cover by those people who want to threaten the national stability and plan destructive activities.
♦ Banning Kinder Surprise Eggs in the United States
Is there anyone who does not like Kinder Surprise Eggs? They are very common in different countries around the world and what increases their popularity is the surprise or toys that are usually hidden inside the eggs. Unfortunately, Kinder Surprise eggs are banned in the United States, do you know why? Because of the toys that are hidden in the chocolate eggs and are considered to be non-nutritive components.
♦ Banning chewing gum in Singapore
If you want to travel to Singapore, you have to know that chewing gum is banned there in order to keep the country, especially the public places, clean. Banning chewing gum started in 1992 and there is not anyone who is allowed to chew gum in the country except for those who have a medical prescription and need to chew gum.
♦ Banning movies & shows about time travel in China
Watching movies and shows about time travel is considered to be very interesting for many people around the world as the idea itself is amazing, but for the Chinese government it is completely different. Such movies and shows that present the idea of time travel are completely banned in China because they are thought to be ridiculous and depict history in an unacceptable way that is not serious.
♦ Banning blue jeans in North Korea
Wearing jeans is extremely common amongst people from around the world regardless of their age and even gender. The blue color is in fact the most common color and it is also the only color to be banned in North Korea. You are not allowed to wear blue jeans in North Korea, but you can easily wear jeans in other colors such as the black jeans.
♦ Banning walking and running out of gas on the German Autobahn in Germany.
♦ Banning jasmine and everything related to this beautiful and breathtaking flower in China including songs and even the text messages with the word “jasmine”. The main reason behind banning the flower is related to protesting and revolutions as the Chinese protestors were inspired by the Jasmine Revolution that took place in Tunisia.
♦ Banning dancing in the clubs in different Japanese cities even Tokyo, especially after midnight.
♦ Banning Scottish haggis, which are made through using the lungs of sheep, in the United States.
♦ Banning using female mannequins for displaying clothes in Iran as they must wear a hijab “veil” and the whole body should be covered.
♦ Banning plastic bags in Bangladesh since 2002. They are also banned in Mexico, France and Tanzania.
♦ Banning driving cars by women in Saudi Arabia.
♦ Banning spanking in Sweden whether it is by teachers in schools or by parents at home since 1979. In fact, the country bans all corporal punishment of young children in schools and even at homes.
♦ Banning baby walkers in Canada since 2004. Different studies show that teaching babies to walk through using a walker delays their motor development unlike other babies who learn to walk without a walker.