New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
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rivegauche
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New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Post by rivegauche »

While I welcome the latest thinking on the wearing of skirts and dresses by pupils and workers who are trans, why does it only apply to those who are trans? Many of us are not trans but wish to wear skirts and dresses without criticism. Roll on that day. OK, I concede that I have worn skirts in public without criticism but we all know what I mean - it is still an issue and it should not be.
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crfriend
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Re: New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Post by crfriend »

rivegauche wrote:While I welcome the latest thinking on the wearing of skirts and dresses by pupils and workers who are trans, why does it only apply to those who are trans?
This is likely down to the fact that trans-* is very "in" at the moment and commands all the attention. Whether that'll be helpful, or even useful, to the vast majority of non-trans-* folks is still open to speculation and conjecture. I'm trying to keep an open mind on the matter, but with the hardening of attitudes in society in general in recent months I'm not overly optimistic.

Of course, it should be entirely axiomatic that we be allowed our individual choice of attire so long as it meets certain standards of decency and decorum (which can vary from venue to venue); however, governments are not exactly known for protecting the interests and desires of the majority -- or at least not the ones I'm intimately familiar with today. When I'm out and about in my chosen sartorial style, I don't seem to attract all that much attention for it -- and I'm not sure whether that's because I'm simply accepted or because everyone else around me is so terrified about the precarious nature of their own position that they just can't bring themselves to notice or comment.
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Caultron
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Re: New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Post by Caultron »

rivegauche wrote:While I welcome the latest thinking on the wearing of skirts and dresses by pupils and workers who are trans, why does it only apply to those who are trans?...
I think, "trans," in this case is an overgeneralization meaning, "all those who wish to deviate from the fixed gender boundaries of the past."

People just like dropping things into neat buckets.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Ralph
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Re: New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Post by Ralph »

Caultron wrote:I think, "trans," in this case is an overgeneralization meaning, "all those who wish to deviate from the fixed gender boundaries of the past." People just like dropping things into neat buckets.
I hope that's all there is to it. I fear that for many, "all those who wish to deviate from the fixed gender boundaries of the past" is just a long way of saying "pervert". That boy ain't right in the head. Now it's wearin' dresses, next ya know he'll be marryin' a goat. Gay, transgender, transsexual, genderfluid, crossdresser, pedophile, whatever... it's all the same to the conservative traditionalists.
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Caultron
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Re: New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Post by Caultron »

Ralph wrote:I hope that's all there is to it. I fear that for many, "all those who wish to deviate from the fixed gender boundaries of the past" is just a long way of saying "pervert". That boy ain't right in the head. Now it's wearin' dresses, next ya know he'll be marryin' a goat. Gay, transgender, transsexual, genderfluid, crossdresser, pedophile, whatever... it's all the same to the conservative traditionalists.
I suspect you're right in some cases, though I hope not many. In any event, most people who think that seem to understand they should shut up, and the rest give no more than a frown. Be friendly and wish 'em a nice day.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Re: New policies on skirts in schools and workplace

Post by moonshadow »

I admit to having a little cognitive dissonance, once (as you all know) a stern supporter of all things trans*... now I just don't know. I've read and heard of some articles this last year that have soured me to some extent on the matter. In other ways I think things are just getting too "out there". I still support transgender adults right to be whatever they want to be, even if I think some of them are going overboard. It's still their life and their freedom to choose so I won't try to stand in their way, but I admit to being a bit put off by the idea that the public at large may be grouping me into the trans* agenda. It's a thought that honestly has almost pushed me back into trousers on more than one occasion. In fact, I'm wrestling with that notion currently. It's ironic that I can tolerate the bullies and the homophobic insults hurled my way, but the thought of being classified as transgender has got me reconsidering this entire clothing choice. I've even considered buying a custom shirt to wear with my skirts that says in big letters:
"NOT TRANS
JUST A GUY IN A SKIRT

NOT EVERY MAN IN A SKIRT THINKS HE'S A WOMAN NO MORE THAN A WOMAN IN TROUSERS THINK SHE'S A MAN"

It seems that a man just can't explore different clothing styles that are of a more "feminine" variety without being labeled all of the things Ralph pointed out earlier. It disturbs me that these labels aren't applied to women who do the same thing, and I'm not just talking about the typical women who wears "women's" pants, I'm talking actual masculine type women who actually wear "men's" clothes.

Now I don't know what most people think of me when they see me out, I pass by probably hundreds of people a day when I'm wearing skirts and dresses, and only once or twice a year does someone actually approach me and talk to me about it. The woman in Franklin Tennessee who asked me about my dress seemed surprised that I wasn't out on some political crusade and that I was wearing the dress simply because "I wanted to". Likewise the conversation I had a short while ago at the antique store in Marion Virginia was pleasant in that she never seemed to imply that I was anything other than a guy who simply had his own unique style.

I also don't like how 2017 was the year of the "man in a skirt" simply as a means to pressure schools and employers into allowing men to wear short pants. I'm sorry guys, that whole thing did NOTHING to change the paradigm of "skirts are for women only", all it did was be a fly in the ointment to certain traditional schools and employers, so as to annoy them into allowing their male peers to wear short pants. The moment it was allowed, I'm sure the men ditched the skirts. Probably so as not to be mistakenly identified with the trans* movement. The short pants that men wear look like baggy capris. They are the stupidest looking garments I've ever seen go viral, and given the choice between that and a proper male office outfit including neatly pressed trousers and dress shirt, I choose the latter, I don't give a damn how hot it is.

I'd have no problem hiring an accountant to do my taxes who is dressed like skirtyscot, or OldSalt, or even Dave (PDX) because they look neat and professional and that for some reason gives me peace of mind that my taxes will be done correctly. The accountant that comes up to me in some long baggy short pants with a weekend cotton tee-shirt, looking like some beach bum... uh.. no.

In conclusion, 2017 was NOT a good year for men in skirts in my humble opinion. It was a year of men becoming women and other men wearing skirts for the sole purpose of being allowed to wear short pants, and that's all the news media cared about. It was not the year of simply "a man in a dress".
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