You go Eddie!
I can so relate to this because when I was a girl trousers were really meant for men. I wore ski pants and had short hair and so I got called "son" occasionally. Girls were really meant to wear dresses and have long hair, which I quite liked some of the time but dresses are rubbish for climbing trees.
And now women can wear trousers but men are not supposed to wear skirts. Unless they're kilts. The logic of this is, well actually there is no logic in it.
The article where I found this talks about "non-cisgendered men" wearing dresses but I don't see why anyone has to be labelled according to the clothes they sometimes like to wear. When I was a girl I didn't want to wear trousers because I wanted to be a man, I wore trousers (and still do) because I like trousers. In the same way, why on earth can't men wear skirts and dresses and sparklies without being labelled? Maybe they just like them. Sometimes I like wearing them too.
19 COMMENTS:
You go Eddie indeed! I used to wear both girly dresses(and my mom would always really 'girly it up' with big bows and glitters and sparkles), as well as pants to climb trees! I've always been intrigued by why clothes can say (or might say) so much about a person.
Lily, exactly! How is it fair that girls can wear floaty, sparkly things and they can also wear solid, practical things but boys can't do both? And the way that people interpret our clothes choices can be very stereotyping!
A contradiction to be sure. Men used to wear skirts/dresses/tunics.
Ann, I know! It doesn't make any kind of sense!
Call me Miss Picky, but if my date for the evening turned up wearing a skirt, I'd make my excuses. We are not in ancient Rome.
I can see why women wear trousers - I live in them myself - but why on earth would any man want to wear a skirt? Why? Impractical, draughty, no pockets, and guaranteed to embarrass his girlfriend and get him unwelcome attention from passers-by. He'd have to be quite strange to want to.
Lexi, skirts are cooler (if you're someone who feels the heat), looser around the crotch (and I have no idea what that feels like for a guy) and can look and feel very pretty. I like wearing skirts in summer! And sometimes in winter with thick tights and boots. No reason a man shouldn't feel the same way.
Two things I don't like about skirts are that they can get in the way and stop you doing some things, and that the "appropriate" thing to wear with them used to be thin tights (very uncomfortable!) and court shoes (which hurt my feet). I prefer boots or sandals.
Mind you, I now often wear socks and sandals (shock horror) because that's what keeps my sore foot from complaining, and I'm reaching the "old woman [who] wear[s] purple with a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me" phase of life so I'm not much of a one for the fashion police.
And if our culture wasn't so hung up on nipples I would never, ever wear a bra. Now that's one item of clothing I can't see men taking to! (Unless that turns them on. In which case, good luck to them.)
I believe the Romans wore socks with their sandals in winter. And nipples don't show much if your top is black.
You've convinced me about skirts for men. I think you should surprise your husband with one on his birthday - he could give it its first outing at a special birthday dinner in a nice restaurant :o)
Lexi, I think nipples show least with multicoloured tops! And I avoid wearing a bra whenever possible.
As to buying Neil a skirt - I am so sorely tempted! I can't see him wearing it though!
I have no objection to men in kilts. Apart from now, that is. Last thing you need when you're spooning soup is a flash of tartan...
Whirl, I'm sorry your appetite is so easily spoilt.
Maybe you need better soup.
My father wore the kilt, for formal occasions and on the beach, and very fine he looked (though nothing like all those bewitched by the laird romance covers).
A kilt can indeed look very fine on a man.
OH I love Eddie's riposte! "Women's dresses" indeed! Silly moo.
EVERYTHING is so gender-ised to such a stupid degree it makes me barf!
:-)
Just popped over to wish you and yours a happy Easter! Take care
x
Interesting points. Your post brought to mind the school boy awarded a human rights prize when he wore a skirt to school because shorts had been banned. Of course in my day it was all about us girls fighting for the right to wear trousers as part of our school uniform.
Kitty, I so agree about the genderising! And Happy Easter to you too!
Tracey, I remember the boy's case. In my day there wasn't even a question of girls wearing trousers to school: it was just not on! Maybe that's why I feel so strongly about these issues now. Let people wear what they want!
I totally agree that anyone should be allowed to wear whatever they want. I just don't get why anyone would want to wear a dress. I think they restrict what you can do. Can't remember the last time I wore one. Culottes are OK. I have a couple of pairs of those that LOOK like skirts. Thing is, they're really trousers in disguise.
MAJ, I've been told that the unrestrictedness around the crotch area is good for guys but I couldn't speak to that one from experience!
And as you say, there's no reason to stop anyone wearing a dress if that's what they want to do!
Eddie Izzard is always brilliant! We don't see enough of him over here.
There is no better sight than a man in a kilt!
nitebyrd, a man in a kilt oh my! Be still my beating heart!
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