Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

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skirtpettiman
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Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by skirtpettiman »

As interesting news item by the BBC about schoolboys wearing skirts protesting that they're not allowed to wear shorts in hot weather. So they borrowed some school skirts to make their point with support from the girls... and said they liked the comfort and freedom of skirt wearing!

I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

Boys at Exeter academy wear skirts in uniform protest - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-40364632
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Gregg1100
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by Gregg1100 »

Only sensible thing to do.. The dickheads that set these rules are sat in an air conditioned office somewhere.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by partlyscot »

Shorts are better than pants yes, but as most of us on here know, they aren't anywhere near as comfortable as a skirt. I wonder if any of those boys end up staying with the skirts?
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by mugman »

There are a few schools where kilts with a corporate school tartan are worn by both girls and boys. I would have thought that the simplicity of it satisfies all arguments.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by Gusto10 »

I thought it was Oxford where the dresscode is now applied on unisex basis so TG student can dress as they wish. It's funny to see how the skirt is now used by men as means to protest for equal rights but also in respect of harrasement of women. Isn't as man being allowed to dress without discusion a form of harrasement?
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by crfriend »

Gusto10 wrote:Isn't as man being allowed to dress without discusion a form of harrasement?
Of course it is, but it's an accepted and acceptable form according to the masses and various governments. Such is the nature of double-standards.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by moonshadow »

All these recent stories of school boys (and office men) wearing skirts to protest not being allowed to wear shorts is fine and well, but they're wearing skirts for all the wrong reasons... not because they want to, but rather as a political statement, and not the type people like me are making. No, when they are finally granted the privilege to wear shorts, they'll ditch the skirts in New York minute.

I'm sure most of the boys pulling this off are enjoying the novelty of wearing a skirt for attention, but come on... we all know they think they look silly in the clothes, and will ditch them the moment the realize it's costing them dates with the girls!

The skirts are being worn as nothing more than a political statement to be allowed to wear something with two tubes, NOT for comfort, fashion, or style. A part of me thinks this type of behavior might actually be retarding the progress that men who actually WANT to wear skirts have made in recent years. Before you know it, people are going to start to assume we're wearing this things because we are protesting not being able to wear some gaudy shorts somewhere or another.

Personally, I'd rather people think I were on the trans-road... at least THAT has SOMETHING to do with gender freedom! :roll:
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by crfriend »

moonshadow wrote:All these recent stories of school boys (and office men) wearing skirts to protest not being allowed to wear shorts is fine and well, but they're wearing skirts for all the wrong reasons... not because they want to, but rather as a political statement, and not the type people like me are making. No, when they are finally granted the privilege to wear shorts, they'll ditch the skirts in New York minute.
That may be true in the short term, but some of them likely will recall that once they got over the initial trepidation the things really are very comfortable garments. It'll be that component that may return to their consciousness some years later when they're "all grown up" and comfortable in their own skins and may give it another go.

In the context above, the adults are definitely making a social statement; the kids are just being wise-arses (in other words, kids). It's the adults I hold hope in; the kids are going to be too influenced by each other and their parents for anything to likely take hold that'll be lasting.
I'm sure most of the boys pulling this off are enjoying the novelty of wearing a skirt for attention, but come on... we all know they think they look silly in the clothes, and will ditch them the moment the realize it's costing them dates with the girls!
Most of the good comments I get come from women, so perhaps it might not cost them dates. Yes, dates will be -- on average -- more difficult to get, but contemplate the bozo-filter effect of a skirt on a male: the female idiots will self-select out of the running thereby saving the male from the task.
Personally, I'd rather people think I were on the trans-road... at least THAT has SOMETHING to do with gender freedom! :roll:
I'm going to dispute this, and I'm sure that PDX will try to get up my backside for it, but deliberately confusing clothing choices with "gender freedom" only strengthens the hand of the bigots. I think it's vastly better to have clothing choice distinctly separate from all the sexual noise that's pervasive these days. In short, Don't contaminate the signal with irrelevant noise.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by Sinned »

Your comment about a memory may have some validity. MOH is fortunately a similar body size to me, although with bigger boobs, enough that I can often wear some of her clothes. This has been true all through our marriage. In fact at odd times when I have been a bit bored and she was out of the house I would try on some of her dresses and skirts. The feeling of comfort and freedom perhaps made an impact and resurfaced recently which is perhaps what prompted me to buy a skirt in ASDA and the rest is history. So maybe those memories will bubble along in the background with some. I just hope that it doesn't take them as long as it took me. As for the boys .... well the teenage and early twenties ( and the rest in many cases ) can be crazy as well so who knows.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by moonshadow »

crfriend wrote:Most of the good comments I get come from women
Same here, but it's almost always older women (40 and above), never in the age group that these kids are in. In fact, on the contrary, teenage girls can be pretty mean about it actually. Some of the nastiest feedback I've encountered out and about skirted was from young women in the 15-30 age group.

Some of the best comments came from women older than 50. Odd.
...but deliberately confusing clothing choices with "gender freedom" only strengthens the hand of the bigots. I think it's vastly better to have clothing choice distinctly separate from all the sexual noise that's pervasive these days.
Perhaps to an extent. But I'll hold that a bigot will always find a reason to b!tch about something. However, I do believe it is very much a gender role issue, as clothes are indeed divided by gender (as we all know), thus when we wear that which pertains to the other sex, we are indeed dabbling in gender roles. [0] I'm not saying wearing a dress makes us a woman, or even trans, I'm just saying when we do so, we ever so slightly veer off the accepted gender role of western male culture. After all, as it stands, 99.99% of western men do not wear skirts or dresses publicly- because like it or not, our society views the garments as being for women only.

Besides, "gender" is mentioned multiple times on the Skirt Cafe board headers (on the main pages), I.E. News and advocacy. :P

[0] Not that I think that clothes should be gendered, as you all know I think it's completely asinine. But, as I always say... "it is what it is"...

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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by crfriend »

moonshadow wrote:But I'll hold that a bigot will always find a reason to b!tch about something.
Indeed. However, there is no point in handing them extra ammunition.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by Regular Guy »

moonshadow wrote:All these recent stories of school boys (and office men) wearing skirts to protest not being allowed to wear shorts is fine and well, but they're wearing skirts for all the wrong reasons... not because they want to, but rather as a political statement, and not the type people like me are making. No, when they are finally granted the privilege to wear shorts, they'll ditch the skirts in New York :roll:

I will have to agree 100% with Moon's statement. This endeavor by the lads is just so they can wear SHORTS. While it DOES bring attention to males in skirts, it does not furtther the 'greater good' of men wearing skirts.

Same goes for the French bus drivers. Strictly a political statement to obtain change so the shorts will be accepted.

I guess the press exposure with men wearing skirts is positive, it does not further the cause of accepting men in skirts as a societal norm.

Just my 2 cents.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by Caultron »

Only that schoolboys wearing school skirts to school for any reason, including protest, would have unthinkable just a few years ago.

And now, apparently, it's thinkable.
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Re: Schoolboys protesting in Exeter, England

Post by SteveB »

I found it interesting to note that when the headmistress stated that the shorts would be considered as a possible addition to the next school year's uniform, that several of the teens said that they would continue the rest of the school session in their skirts (about two weeks).

As far as the dating goes, within the peer group, the females tend to appreciate the lads a lot better that are skirted, especially since most of them shaved their legs. For the teens to see me, an old man in a skirt is negative, but a same age gent is very positive. Over half a century ago, my girlfriend convinced me to participate in the Drama Club. There was always a shortage of boys. I was thin (26" waist @ 6' 1" tall). The lead actress was playing the part of a queen (6' tall), and needed a "mirror" image for part of the performance. I wound up as the "mirror". The boys gave me plenty of ribbing, I scored another eight girlfriends. My original girlfriend knew that she had my loyalty, so she was happy to be with the most popular boy on campus, even when he chose to wear the occasional dress or skirt to school on non uniform days.

Remember it was the girls that helped them get the skirts and supported their activity. Their "school" skirts are probably seeing even more off campus use than you think.

my tuppence

Steve
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