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What does the bible say about women wearing pants?

Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Whether or not Christian women should wear pants, slacks, or jeans is a long-standing issue among believers. It is, perhaps, an issue that has garnered more than its fair share of attention over the past few decades.

The faithfulness of a daughter of God is not ultimately measured by what clothing she wears but by her walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).

The topic of women wearing pants has sparked considerable debate within Christian communities.

While the Bible does directly address the issue of women wearing pants, several passages provide insight into the principles of modesty, gender roles, and appropriate attire.

Deuteronomy 22:5 says: "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God."

Like many of the statutes, this law may have been needed partly because of the pagan customs in the surrounding cultures. The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary explains:

"Disguises were assumed at certain times in pagan temples.

Maimonides...mentions that a man attired in a coloured female dress, in honour of Venus, Ashtaroth, or Astarte, and a woman equipped in armour, worshipped at the shrine of the statue of Mars...

"Asiatics, when they engaged in the worship of Ashtaroth, were accustomed, according to Philocorus, quoted by Townley (in his edition of Maimonides, note 33), to exchange the male and female dresses.

In fact, all idolators confounded the sexes of their deities—representing them sometimes as male, at other times as female; and hence, their worshippers, male and female, fell gradually into the custom, which became extensively prevalent, of changing their attire in adaptation to the sex of a particular divinity."

God's command to Israel forbade the people from incorporating pagan religious rites into true worship.

In spite of this instruction, today's Christianity commonly mixes paganism in with the worship of Christ.

Does Deuteronomy 22:5 forbid women from wearing pants?

Yes, it does. In fact, clothing “that pertains to a man” at the time the verse was written would not have been understood to mean pants none the less.

Men in the Middle East through the history of the Old and New Testaments did not ordinarily wear pants, trousers or slacks; they wore robe-like garments.

The scripture more specifically addresses and forbids transvestism and cross-dressing.

The underlying principle certainly applies to today.

Men should dress in an appropriately masculine manner and women should dress in an appropriately feminine manner.

Clothing manufacturers make pants designed for men, and pants, slacks and pantsuits designed for women.

The Bible emphasizes modesty, and for women, slacks are often more modest than a short skirt.

God does not intend for this scripture to be understood in an extreme or unreasonable way.

For example, it’s perfectly fine for a woman to wear her husband’s old shirt when she’s painting or to put on her male friend’s jacket when she’s cold.

As we focus on the inward woman, God will take care of the outward woman, and we know that “each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:12).

Neither the one who wears pants nor the one who wears only skirts should condemn her sister in Christ.

Deuteronomy 22:5 deals with the issue cross-dressing / transvestism (men dressing in women’s clothing and vice versa).

In this passage God commands that a woman is not to wear that which pertains to a man and a man is not to wear that which pertains to a woman, for all that do so are an “abomination.”

The Hebrew word translated “abomination” means "a disgusting thing, abominable, in the ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages), in the ethical sense of wickedness."

Therefore, this is not simply God addressing the fact that a woman might put on a man’s garment or vice versa.

Also, this is not a command that a woman should not wear pants/slacks as some use this passage to teach.

The meaning here is that this “cross-dressing” and transvestism is done in order to deceive, or to present oneself as something that he/she is not.

In other words, this speaks to a woman changing her dress and appearance so as to appear to be a man and a man changing his dress and appearance so as to appear to be a woman.

This is the definition of cross-dressing or a transvestism.

We can also reason that the dynamic behind this is the leaving of what is natural and taking on that which is in God’s Word called unnatural (Romans 1:24-27).

Paul tells the Corinthian church that the way a woman wears her hair is a reflection of God’s order, and therefore a woman who cuts her hair to appear as a man or a man who wears his hair long to appear as a woman brings shame to them (1 Corinthians 11:3-15).

The issue here is the motive and attitude of the heart that is evidenced in the choice to rebel against God’s standard for obedience.

These are principles we can use to reason an application. Whatever the prevailing custom, men and women should wear gender-appropriate clothing, dressing decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).

To apply the principles, the Bible calls cross-dressing or transvestitism a choice that is a demonstration of unbelief and rebellion against God and His order.