i think women can get away with carrying purses because purses are almost never as big as backpacks, and it'd be considered uncouth to ask a woman to give up her purse. women use their purses differently than men (or women) use backpacks. many or most women keep their (giant) wallet and checkbook and all that in their purse, so they wouldn't be able to pay for anything without it. half of modern women's pants don't even have pockets in them. where do you put your wallet if you dont have pockets? if you as a man wear pants without pockets in them, and you carry a purse into a store, and someone tries to confiscate that purse, THEN you can say it's discrimination. haha. seriously though. i can see why they don't try to take purses. it wouldn't fly. i don't think there are enough guys-with-bags around (there aren't in my little town, at least) to set a similar precedent. most women carry purses but a much smaller number of men carry bags it seems like. your average purse is still not the same potential risk for a business as an avg-sized backpack, though.

i always have to give up my bag at powell's, which i kind of understand, but still hate. the bags are in this open cubby bookcase in the wall, behind the counter. last time i had a couple of really expensive things in my bag and was concerned about whether or not they'd make it back to me. but it'd be so easy to steal a bagful of stuff from that store that i can see where they're coming from. i'd rather give up my bag than have to deal with jerk security guards all over. but they need to put in lockers or something so you won't have to worry. also, that store is HUGE, and if you buy books on one side of the store, but stow your bag in another part, you have to walk all the way back to get the bag, then all the way back again to the right exit. add another trip to that if you forgot your wallet in the bag (assuming it's still in there when you get back ).