New York — “the city that never sleeps” — is known as one of the places where anything goes. It’s a good thing that city officials are able to turn a blind eye to a restrictive law that’s been on the books since 1902. The New York State Legislature’s law outlawed flirting, prohibiting men from turning around on the street and “looking at a woman in that way.” Offenders could be fined up to $25, which is $866.31 today. Those who went on to commit a second flirting offense would be ordered to wear a pair of horse blinders whenever they stepped out onto the street. Of course, one thing leads to another, and it wasn’t long before adultery became a crime punishable by 90 days in jail or a $500 fine. Both laws are still on the books, though rarely enforced. The last time someone was charged under the adultery law was in 1970.
