Guy in Valdosta

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
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tesjolts
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Guy in Valdosta

Post by tesjolts »

Interesting article about John Woodruff in Valdosta, GA and how he started wearing skirts...

http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/ ... 8c409.html

Tes
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melsav
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by melsav »

Very good article I agree that wearing skirts is much more comfortable that pants in hot weather. :D
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by Caultron »

Slowly, painfully slowly, the idea of men wearing skirts is shifting from the unthinkable to the remotely thinkable.
Courage, conviction, nerve, verve, dash, panache, guts, nuts, balls, gall, élan, stones, whatever. Get some and get skirted.

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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by Grok »

I have to wonder if this fellow has gone online to find like minded men. Perhaps he will find Skirt Cafe?

Otherwise he is an isolated individual.
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by mishawakaskirt »

Any one reach out to the writer of the newspaper article?
If several of us write in each time we see a Men in Skirts type article.
Mention you wear kilts and or skirts, mention the Skirt Cafe.
Leave contact info if you are willing, they may pass it along to John Woodruff.
Or who knows they may want to do a folowup article about more men in skirts.
Possibly one or more of us.

I did a quick facebook search no luck at least for me.

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Mishawakaskirt @2wayskirt on Twitter

Avoid the middle man, wear a kilt or skirt.
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by moonshadow »

I notice the facebook page is pretty well locked down. I can certainly imagine why, though I hope I'm wrong.

As for me, I'm not sure if I want any media coverage. Much as I don't mind reading about this type of thing, I don't want to feel like I'm overly promoting it, or "shoving it down anyone's throat", which is what I will certainly be accused of by many in the local populous.

No, as for me, I'll just let my weekend outings do the talking for me. I'm afraid if a writer or reporter ever approached me about my dress, I'd politely decline extensive comments or discussion, answering only the basic of questions, "no I'm not transgender, no I don't think I'm a crossdresser, yes I've ran into some problems doing this, no I can't talk about it...."

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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by VoxClamantis »

The newspaper article was rather poorly written and necessitated a more explanatory blog post:

http://www.voxclamantisindeserto.us/201 ... ar-skirts/
Last edited by crfriend on Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Fixed the link per a report of an error. [CRF]
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by crfriend »

VoxClamantis wrote:The newspaper article was rather poorly written [...]
Greetings, VoxClamantis. Great user-name.

Most newspaper articles aren't very well written for the simple point that they're mainly intended to draw advertising revenue not to enlighten the general public (if the general public is interested in being enlightened). That's a big hill, and not one that I'm personally inclined to try and take. As far as Farcebook goes, I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole (or is that 30-metre cattle-prod?) as most everything I've seen on it has either been inane, juvenile, vitriolic or a mix of any to all of the above.

Indeed skirts do make sense in the modern era -- for both men and women -- but like fixing the "news problem" represents a hill that needs taking. Fortunately, own own personal "hills" can usually be taken with some determination and strength of character. In the fifteen years I've been publicly wearing skirts I have had but one potentially serious incident (involving a mix of drugs and alcohol) and only a handful of incidents involving verbal slurs. However, over that period of time, I've had a large number of engaging conversations with entirely random people that have ended extremely well with all parties taking something new away from the experience; those are the ones I cherish.

Sally forth.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by VoxClamantis »

Yeah, opening one mind at a time. As one living in the deep South, USA, I find a a strong perception difference along racial lines. One time a black couple approached me at my seasonal retail job in a mall. The female thought it was awesome and clarified to her boyfriend that I wasn't gay. Conversely, I also encountered a white couple where the female assumed I was gay and the dude straightened her out. But yes, every conversation is a small victory. What annoyed me was when someone asked my manager why I wire a skirt rather than asking me directly.
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by crfriend »

VoxClamantis wrote:Yeah, opening one mind at a time.
I suspect that's the only way to really go about doing it. The styles that designers put down runways and catwalks are usually incongruous at best, and downright hideous at worst. A critical-mass of mind-share doesn't exist in the general population yet; and there's no other way to get the word out that won't be misconstrued or manipulated.
As one living in the deep South, USA, I find a a strong perception difference along racial lines. One time a black couple approached me at my seasonal retail job in a mall. The female thought it was awesome and clarified to her boyfriend that I wasn't gay. Conversely, I also encountered a white couple where the female assumed I was gay and the dude straightened her out. But yes, every conversation is a small victory.
I can't really categorically comment on the deep south, my exposure to it having been Huntsville, AL a few times and Atlanta, GA -- albeit in some instances for several weeks at a stretch, but this may possibly be down to the white folks having time on their hands to follow insanity like the Great Bathroom Stink and the black folks worrying more about staying alive. That's an interesting observation, though; I'm sure there's an explanation for it.
What annoyed me was when someone asked my manager why I wire a skirt rather than asking me directly.
No doubt it was a busybody who asked the manager. Had he (or she) been deft about it the answer would have been, "Why don't you ask him?"
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by VoxClamantis »

For those that posted here, perhaps you will be interested in my latest post titled, "A Guy's Guide to Getting Skirted"

http://www.voxclamantisindeserto.us/201 ... g-skirted/
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by Sinned »

VC, I have had a quick skim through your missive and it's broadly accurate but I would disagree on some points of detail. Some of the attributes that you dismiss for men such as soft floaty materials, even denim ( ???? considered by most as a good introductory material ), cuts ( enhance femininity? one of the great benefits of light materials is that they do move and the feeling is heavenly and can be worn by men too ) and so on that you consider feminine I, and others, have successfully worn. Some of us have worn microminis as well, I for one. Sizing 10 - 14 for men, which planet do you live on?

Femininity/masculinity in skirts we have never managed to pin down as what is feminine to me others on the site brazenly wear out on the street.

I don't want to go much further or appear hyper-critical because most of what you write is great but I suggest that your experience is limited and you really need to research the posts from the many dedicated skirt wearers on the site and see the many ways in which some of your statements seem a bit, well, naive. I know that my experience has been widened through the vicarious experiences of others and some of my early ramblings probably seem trite now. But well done for the majority of the blog.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by Feeling freedom »

I agree with Sinned and I love my denim skirts!! and am quite masculine due to how i carry myself when i wear them. Any skirt for that matter. The masculine/feminine expression is not just the fashion for me. Do you walk and talk like a man? Strong, confident handshake or hold the door for the ladies? Be a gentleman as you would be if you wore pants that day. I still have a very masculine energy in a denim skirt or other materials, styles and patterns.
Personal style is important to me. Even when my outfits may contain skirts, tights and great ankle or riding length boots! I enjoy fashion and am excited to get in on the conversations with the like minded!
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by r.m.anderson »

VoxClamantis wrote:For those that posted here, perhaps you will be interested in my latest post titled, "A Guy's Guide to Getting Skirted"

http://www.voxclamantisindeserto.us/201 ... g-skirted/
WOW ! ! !

One if not the best most comprehensive complete men in skirts posts (LINK) !

Summa cum Laude
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Re: Guy in Valdosta

Post by VoxClamantis »

Sinned wrote:VC, I have had a quick skim through your missive and it's broadly accurate but I would disagree on some points of detail. Some of the attributes that you dismiss for men such as soft floaty materials, even denim ( ???? considered by most as a good introductory material ), cuts ( enhance femininity? one of the great benefits of light materials is that they do move and the feeling is heavenly and can be worn by men too ) and so on that you consider feminine I, and others, have successfully worn. Some of us have worn microminis as well, I for one. Sizing 10 - 14 for men, which planet do you live on?

Femininity/masculinity in skirts we have never managed to pin down as what is feminine to me others on the site brazenly wear out on the street.

I don't want to go much further or appear hyper-critical because most of what you write is great but I suggest that your experience is limited and you really need to research the posts from the many dedicated skirt wearers on the site and see the many ways in which some of your statements seem a bit, well, naive. I know that my experience has been widened through the vicarious experiences of others and some of my early ramblings probably seem trite now. But well done for the majority of the blog.
I hear what you are saying and I respect your words and your expression. However, I do think you misapprehended the premise. The title phrasing "...getting skirted" is meant to signal that the guide is aimed at the newbie/novice. And while denim might seem like a go-to style, it is not something that I believe a newbie should do (as much to avoid the "Village People" motif that i mentioned as to be respectably styled--after all, men's denim shorts have long, long, long been out of style so denim skirts are just too close to that fashion faux pas for the newbie to navigate).

I believe that these points are clear throughout the whole of the article, and perhaps the nuances were lost through such cursory skimming (it is very long). I have therefore taken your thoughts into consideration and added various blurbs including introductory and conclusory paragraphs:
This post is aimed at providing American men with the advantage of practical advice and a basic education on how to start wearing skirts. While I strive to be practical and balanced, I do advance a viewpoint of masculine aesthetics for several reasons: first, it is my personal stylistic preference; second, I believe this to be the most natural tract for men making their first forays into this counterculture movement; third, I believe this to be of greater service to the movement (as explained in closing). To make it easier to digest, I have divided it into four sections: Key Concepts, Masculinity & Femininity, Wearing a Skirt, Shopping for Skirts, and Closing Remarks.
As I have pointed out in other posts [on my blog], one of my principal skirt arguments stems from gender equality in the workplace and I strongly encourage men to structure their skirt selections with the workplace in mind. While personal preference and expression are sacrosanct ideals, we are ambassadors of a social movement, and that movement is not served by demonstrations that are too extreme for our fellow citizens to admit into their realms of normalcy. This is nothing new to counterculture movements such as post-Vietnam long hair or electric guitar solos of the national anthem. Sometimes in-their-face approaches are necessary, but sometimes subtlety is more fruitful.
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