What is the primary difference between a purse and a back pack? A man carries a back pack and a woman carries a purse. I back pack can be carried over the should just like a purse and a purse can often be worn like a back pack. Its the same thing, its a bag that carries stuff. Potentially it can carry other peoples property out of their stores.

The discrimination is not against purses and backpacks but against men and women. If a store where to suddenly have a policy against people who wear pants into their store instead of skirts and dresses would this be discrimination against pants?