Strange 1970s Laws That Make No Sense Today!
Did you know that oral sex was illegal in the 1970s? Sound crazy, right? But it’s true — in many U.S. states, certain acts between consenting adults were considered “unnatural” and could get you arrested. And that wasn’t the only bizarre law floating around back then. Cheating on your spouse? Punishable by jail time in some places. Ice cream in your back pocket? A crime!
The 70’s might have been the decade of disco, free love, and bell bottoms, but the law books were still full of some jaw-droppingly outdated (and sometimes hilarious) rules. So let’s rewind the clock and explore the craziest 70’s laws that remind us how much society has changed.
No Shopping on Sundays
If you grew up in a state with blue laws, you’ll remember the frustration of running out of something on a Sunday. These laws — which dated back to colonial America — were designed to encourage church attendance and rest by banning the sale of “non-essential” items on Sundays.
In some states, you could buy baby formula but not a frying pan. A grocery store could sell you food, but not a bottle opener. The idea was to limit commerce, but the inconsistencies often made no sense.
Most states began repealing these laws in the 70s and 80s, though some still linger today in strange ways. (Ever wonder why you sometimes can’t buy alcohol before noon on Sundays? Thank blue laws for that.)
No Ice Cream in your back pocket
Yes, this was real — and especially enforced in Kentucky. The law made it illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your back pocket, particularly on Sundays.
Why? Believe it or not, it wasn’t about sticky pants. It was about horse theft. Back in the day, sneaky thieves would put an ice cream cone in their pocket to lure horses away without technically “stealing” them. Once the horse followed, the thief could claim it wasn’t theft because the horse just wandered off.
By the 70s, this law was more of a relic than an active police concern, but technically, it was still on the books.
Pickles Must Bounce
In Connecticut, food inspectors had a very strange requirement: a pickle wasn’t legally a pickle unless it could bounce.
This law came from a 1948 case where a vendor tried to sell “spoiled” pickles that weren’t properly fermented. Officials declared that real pickles should have a certain firmness — and bouncing them on the floor became the quirky test.
By the 70s, this rule was still around, though thankfully health standards have since modernized. Today, the USDA has more scientific ways of determining if your pickle is legit.
Ask Permission Before Flushing
Across the pond in Scotland, there’s a long-standing (though often disputed) law that supposedly required asking permission before flushing a toilet in someone’s home.
The origins likely trace back to concerns about water waste and plumbing systems in older buildings. Imagine knocking on your host’s door just to ask, “Hey, can I flush now?” Not exactly polite dinner conversation.
This one is often debated as more of a myth than an actively enforced law, but it became one of those quirky “Did you know?” facts that people in the 70s loved to pass around.
No Singing in a Swimsuit
Florida in the 70s had a reputation for being laid-back, but the law books said otherwise. It was technically illegal to sing in public while wearing a swimsuit.
The law came from decency codes meant to regulate behavior in public spaces. Policymakers worried about “rowdy” behavior on beaches, especially during the post-WWII tourism boom. By outlawing things like public singing in revealing outfits, they thought they were protecting family-friendly values.
Of course, the idea that belting out a tune in your bikini could land you in trouble is laughable today.
No Sleeping Naked
Over in Minnesota, the law once stated that it was illegal to sleep naked.
The origins of this law likely came from puritanical standards of morality and public decency that dated back centuries. The thought was that nudity, even in private, represented a lack of discipline and could lead to “immorality.”
By the 1970s, the law was rarely enforced, but technically it was still possible to be fined if caught in the buff under your own sheets. Eventually, laws like these were phased out or simply ignored into irrelevance.
Oral Sex and Adultery Laws
Perhaps the most shocking for today’s readers: in many U.S. states, oral sex between consenting adults was illegal in the 70s. These were often called “sodomy laws,” and they lumped in everything from same-sex relationships to private acts between married couples.
The reasoning? Legislators saw these acts as “unnatural” and against public morality. It wasn’t until the early 2000s, with the landmark Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court decision in 2003, that these laws were fully struck down nationwide.
Similarly, adultery was still considered a crime in many states during the 70s, punishable by fines or even jail time. While prosecutions were rare, the existence of the law reflected a time when the government felt more comfortable policing private morality.
Conclusion
The 70’s may have been the decade of disco balls and polyester, but hidden in the law books were rules that feel absolutely ridiculous today. From bouncing pickles to criminalizing beach singing, these bizarre laws remind us how much society has changed.
The best part? Someday, people will probably laugh at some of our current laws too. After all, what seems normal today might be tomorrow’s “Wait, that used to be illegal?!” moment.
For more quirky 70’s throwbacks, be sure to check out the full video on YouTube — and maybe don’t keep ice cream in your back pocket.