If you’ve ever heard stories about how things were done in your great-grandparents’ time and thought, “Wait…people really did that?”—you’re definitely not alone. While there’s plenty we can learn from previous generations, there are also moments from the past that seem completely baffling today. Social norms, safety rules, and everyday habits have changed so much that some old practices now feel downright unbelievable.

That’s exactly the kind of thing you’ll find on the page “Old School Ridiculous.” From questionable activities like letting young children drink wine to bizarre events such as asbestos-shoveling competitions, history has its fair share of eyebrow-raising moments. Some of these posts highlight serious reminders of how times have changed, while others are so strange they’re almost funny. We’ve gathered a few of the most unusual photos from the page, so take a look, Pandas.

#1 “Circle Of Love,” Saturday Evening Post Cover, April 8, 1961 By Constantin Alajalo

#2 An Undercover Police Officer On Duty. New York, Brooklyn, 1 July 1969

#3 Typical Redditor, Mid-1960s

While there are many things we still admire or appreciate from the early 1900s, there are also many areas where society has thankfully moved forward. One of the most significant changes has been in the way LGBTQ+ individuals are viewed and treated. Throughout much of the 20th century, many LGBTQ+ people faced systemic discrimination, legal persecution, and social stigma. Laws, institutions, and cultural attitudes often tried to control or “explain” people’s identities and relationships in ways that today seem deeply unfair and outdated.

#4 Car Seat Safety In 1958. These Car Seats Were Not Secured With Seat Belts, So The Mother Could Reach Out To Prevent The Child From Falling Forward

#5 Asbestos Shoveling Competition

#6 Camel Urges You To Smoke 5 Cigarettes With Dinner To Cleanse Your Palate

For example, in 1910, courts in Ontario began requiring psychiatric evaluations for men accused of same-gender relationships. Instead of seeing these relationships as a matter of personal identity, authorities treated them as signs of mental illness. In many cases, private relationships were reframed as medical or legal problems, showing how strongly society tried to pathologize something it didn’t yet understand.

#7 Until 1956, French Children Attending School Were Served Wine On Their Lunch Breaks. Each Child Was Allowed Up To A Half Litre A Day

#8 A Woman Dropping Her Porcelain Tea-Cup In Horror Upon Discovering The Monstrous Contents Of A Magnified Drop Of Thames Water; Revealing The Impurity Of London Drinking Water. Coloured Etching By W. Heath, 1828

#9 The Presto Whip Building In Dearborn, Michigan, 1976

Literature also faced censorship. In 1928, the novel The Well of Loneliness, which featured a lesbian protagonist, was declared obscene. Authorities ordered copies of the book to be destroyed, believing it could influence readers simply by acknowledging the existence of same-gender relationships. Today, the book is often discussed as an important early work in LGBTQ+ literature.

#10 Braniff Airlines Stewardess Uniforms, 1969

#11 St. Thomas Satanic Exorcism Plus All The Fried Chicken You Can Eat For .50c (Near Bardstown, 1942)

#12 Liberace 1971

Laws in many parts of the world also targeted same-gender relationships in uneven ways. In 1902, in several territories, “indecent practices” between men were criminalized. Interestingly, lesbian relationships were often left out of these laws—not out of acceptance, but because many male lawmakers either ignored or refused to acknowledge that women could have same-gender relationships at all.

#13 1938, Public Kissing On Church Property: Men Pay £2, Women Go To Prison For A Month

#14 Department Store Wax Mannequins Melting During A Heatwave In 1929

#15 “Baby Cages” Were Window-Mounted Playpens That Were Once Used For Apartments To Ensure Babies Get Fresh Air, 1937

In the early 1900s, many countries were reshaping their laws in an effort to appear more “modern” on the global stage. In 1903, Thailand introduced punishments for same-gender relationships, partly influenced by Western legal systems. Interestingly, before this shift, same-gender relationships had not been widely targeted or heavily prosecuted there. But as nations tried to align themselves with what were then considered international standards, some adopted laws that reflected Western attitude toward personal identity. In a way, this showed how global pressure and the desire to appear progressive sometimes led to policies that actually restricted freedoms rather than expanding them.

#16 ” The Drunk Basket” In The 1960s, Bars In Istanbul Woud Hire Someone To Carry Drunk People Back To Their Home

#17 1918 Flu Epidemic Campaign Poster

#18 For Smokers-In-Bed

Attitudes like these were also reflected in popular entertainment of the time. During the 1910s, many early films—including those from the era when Charlie Chaplin was one of cinema’s biggest stars—often used queer-coded characters purely for comic effect. Effeminate men were frequently portrayed as exaggerated stereotypes meant to make audiences laugh. While these portrayals were considered harmless humor at the time, they helped shape public perceptions and reinforced the idea that people who didn’t conform to traditional gender roles were something to be mocked. Looking back today, these depictions offer an interesting reminder of how much both storytelling and social attitudes have evolved over the past century.

#19 The Shirt Suit Supreme, 1972

#20 The Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand In Cairo 1896 Pretending To Be A Mummy

#21 General Electric Portable Hairdryer , 1959

#22 Matching Outfits In 1952

These are just a few examples of how attitudes and policies once shaped everyday life for LGBTQ+ people. While the world still has progress to make, it’s clear that society has come a long way since those times. Looking back at these moments reminds us how important it is to keep learning from history. Some practices, beliefs, and laws truly belong in the past, and recognizing that progress helps ensure we continue moving toward a more understanding and inclusive future.

#23 Du Pont Cellophane (1955)

#24 Bryn Owen Aged 17 With His Vespa Scooter, Which Has 34 Mirrors And 81 Lights On The Front And Back, All Bought With His Pocket Money, Leicestershire, England, 1983

#25 My Dad Used To Cut His Shirts, He Said It Was Common For Men To Show Their Belly Buttons, 1980s

#26 Sauna Pants

While these posts are certainly good for a laugh, it’s also astonishing to see how some things from the past were just… unbelievable. History can be funny, strange, and sometimes downright baffling all at once. What do you think—were any of these past practices more shocking than amusing? Share your thoughts with us!

#27 Back In The 60’s They Put Pictures Of Kids And Their Addresses In The Back Of Comic Books

#28 Pickle Sisters A Vaudeville Group From The 1920s

#29 Burnt Orange Carpeting In A Supermarket, 1970s. What The Hell Were They Thinking!

#30 Fuzzy Wuzzy Both Soap That Grew Fur

#31 What A Deal!

#32 Mickey Mouse Gas Mask Meant To Put Children At Ease In An Emergency Situation, 1942

#33 Anti-Vax Cartoon From 1892

#34 The Day My Kid Went Punk, Abc After-School Special (1987)

#35 “On The Night Of February 1, 1976, Elvis Presley Took His Private Jet From Graceland To Denver And Back In One Night Because He Was Craving An 8,000 Calorie Sandwich

“Made from a hollowed out loaf filled with an entire jar of peanut butter, one jar of jelly, and a pound of bacon.”

#36 Motorhead Dressing Room Requirements (2002)

#37 Hairstyle In Tampa, Florida, 1985

#38 These Women! (1946-1949)

#39 This Really Requires No Explanation

#40 German Band Exmagma, Album Cover For Goldball, 1974

#41 An Idea Of What Beatlemania Was Like

#42 Mickey Rooney As Mr. Yunioshi In Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)

#43 72m Marries 22f Step-Granddaughter. 1907

#44 “Winky The White Cat, Signals Cars Behind You, Red Eyes Flash Warning” – [1980s]

#45 Teens Out Of Control Circa 1900

#46 Martians And Venusians In A 1961 Episode Of TV Series The Twilight Zone

#47 It’s Lunch Time At The No Barriers Alligator Farm. Florida C1920s

#48 Buster The Roller Skating Rooster, Los Angeles, 1957

#49 Dress Like Mommy (1967)

#50 Farewell To The Ugly Cigarette? (1971)

#51 “Authorities” In The 1900s Predicted Women Will Be Over 6′ And Dress Like Zena Warrior Princess By The Year 2000

#52 1911 Pic Found On Chronophoto

#53 Teddy Bear: The Harbinger Of Family Doom

#54 Women Display Futuristic Clothing For The Year 2000 During Engineering Week, Circa 1965

#55 In Little House In The Big Woods Laura Ingalls Wilder Describes Her Life Growing Up And Going To A Party Where All The Adults Would Just Throw Their Infants Into A Big Pile On Grandma’s Bed So They Could Go Have Fun

#56 A Couple Posing On A Rooftop In Protective Suits And Hoods While Holding An “Emergency Life Pack For 8 Days,” A Civil Defense Survival Kit Designed For Nuclear Fallout Scenarios

#57 In 1974, Dan Hartman Spent $5,000 On This Fully Functioning, Custom “Bass Suit” Of His Own Design

#58 “Even A Lady Could Learn To Like Soft Whiskey. It’s Not Hard.” – Calvert Extra [1965]

#59 Your Chubby Lass Can Be The Belle Of Her Class. Chubbettes

#60 My Grandfather’s Signature Pose In Photos, Took His Resemblance To A Certain Dictator A Little Too Seriously

#61 Circa 1924

#62 Asparagus Group From Miss Gatchell’s Pageant, Lee County Alabama, April 16, 1925

#63 Men Used To Be Sober, Chivalrous And Strong. Now, In The Year 1622, They Are Ruined Forever

#64 Crisco Shortening – It’s Digestable! (1955)

#65 He Doesn’t Care As Long As He Gets His Dinner

#66 Kid Rock In His Mid 1990’s Look

Bizarre Throwback Images That Would Cause Absolute Outrage Today