Friends Leather Pants Ross

Leather pants: Why the stereotypes? Isn't our society supposed to have moved past that way of thinking?
Sorry for the sociology, but I keep seeing questions such as: "Should men wear leather pants?" or "Are leather pants only for motorcyclists, 80's rockers or homosexuals?" or "Do leather pants make a woman look like a sl - - ?" You get the idea; we've all seen these questions and the cookie-cutter replies such as "Don't go there!" or "Didn't you see the episode of Friends?!?" or "only if you're Slash".
What I'm wondering is, why do these stereotypes persist? As a person who wears leather pants often, and chooses to do so based on the fact that well-made and well-fitted - both caveats being crucial - leather pants are simply luxurious to wear [no, Ross Gellar, they aren't any warmer than denim jeans and they don't shrink either] I just don't get why so many people think it's a crime, fashion or otherwise.
I don't get why so many people have hang-ups about wearing leather pants. I mean it is just another material at the end of the day and the touch and feel of leather is much nicer than say a pair of denim jeans. I personally like leather jeans and hope they come back into maintream fashion again soon!!!
friends leather pants ross