How Did Pant Sagging Start? A Tale From A Former Correctional Employee Pant sagging started in male correctional facilities many years ago, no one knows exactly when. It was a sign that one Inmate was the ‘girl friend’ of another and that they were willing to have rear end sex with them whenever it was wanted by the other half of the couple. Over time it became a gang signal, and the color of the boxers that were showing indicated which gang the guy belonged to. So few young people know this, but I have a feeling if they did, they would hike them up real quick!
http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Think-You-Should-Pull-Up-Your-Pants/1412391
The version I heard was that they were available and looking for a new partner.
We passed that on to a number of kids we know, and the pants came back up. (Tells you what they think of that activity, too.) Lately, though they are saying it is 'just an internet rumor' and it is making a little bit of a comeback (these are not black kids, for the most part, either.)