#NoBeef: 10 of The Weirdest Bans Around The World!

Much commotion was made of the state of Maharashtra’s beef ban that was announced yesterday – some were overjoyed, some were terribly disappointed and some stayed on the fence. If you read our list of the weirdest bans from around the world, the #beefban won’t seem that strange after all!

1. Scrabble in Romania

Nicolae Ceausescu, a Romanian leader in the ‘80s, banned the game of Scrabble because it was “subversive” and “evil.” The ban, however, ceased after that, and the country even has a Scrabble Federation today. Triple word score!

2. Men’s Ponytails in Iran

Iran has a very specific list of hairstyles that are “allowed” for men, and the hairstyles that didn’t make the list include ponytails, mullets, spikes and other “decadent western cuts”.

3. Ketchup in France

France has banned ketchup from school and college cafeterias in an effort to minimize the consumption of unhealthy food among its students, as well as to preserve French cuisine. Ironically, the only time you’re allowed to have ketchup in the cafeteria is when you order..(wait for it)..French Fries.

4. Baby Names in Denmark

The Danes are pretty strict when it comes to naming their babies, which is why you must seek approval from the Government for the name that you’ve chosen for the baby, unless ofcourse, you’ve chosen from one of the Government’s pre-approved list of 7000 baby names.

5. Samosas in Somalia

The humble samosa has been banned from Somalia, because the extremist group that is currently ruling there found the triangular shape of this delicious treat to be “offensive”

6. Chewing Gum in Singapore

There is an actual law that prevents the citizens (and tourists!) of Singapore to be in possession of chewing gum. The ban was said to have been enforced because of the cleaning problems that came with the improper disposal of gum, where chewed up gum would be stuck in mailboxes, stairs, pavements and under the seats of buses.

7. Blue Jeans in North Korea

Blue jeans are banned in North Korea. It is important to note that jeans aren’t banned, only jeans that are the colour blue are. Why, you ask? It’s because North Korea is of the opinion that it is a symbol of American Imperialism.

8. Video Games in Greece

The Greek Government passed a law in 2002 with a view to end illegal gambling, and ended up banning video games. Although they issued a clarification after the ambiguous law was passed, it still effectively bans video games in Internet Cafes.

9. Valentine’s Day in Saudi Arabia

The holiday that celebrates love is not one that the Saudi government is on board with. Valentine’s Day, and the sale of anything related to V-Day is banned in Saudi Arabia. The ban though, has ensured a booming black market where you can buy gifts for your lover at about six times the price.

10. Ballet in Turkmenistan

Former Turkmenistan President banned ballet in Turkmenistan when he was in power, because he felt that “scantily clad women offended Turkmenistan morality”.

And a Special No. 11

Our good ol’ Censor Board has banned the screening of the cinematic adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey in India. Well, not much of a shocker after their recent ban on cuss words in films!

GIFs: Giphy, Tumblr

MUST-READ: #CurseList: 10 Films That Would NOT Make It Past the Censor Now

MUST-READ: Weirdest Bans#Feminism101: Why Calling Yourself a Feminist Is OKAY! Around The World