Skirt Advocacy .. something to think about

[klaatu]

I have had this idea stewing in my brain for most of the day. In order to get men in skirts not only accepted but respected, we need a cause. Something that not only gives us exposure as real men that want to wear skirts but also as caring people.
Corporations and businesses have been doing this for years. Support a cause to make them look like a caring human company. It gets favour with the community and gives them some credibility as something beyond just another company. This idea should be especially appealing to the closet skirters who need encouragement and ... well lets face it ... an excuse to go out in public in a skirt.
My idea??? Men In Skirts Supporting Women With Breast Cancer.
In Canada, and I believe in most of the world, October is breast cancer awareness month. The plan is 2 part....
(1) post on your employers bulletin board or even on facebook or other social media, that you will be wearing a skirt every day for the entire month of October in support of women with breast cancer. You will accept donations in the form of a personal cheques written to your local cancer society and (very important here because otherwise it will likely just go to administrative costs otherwise) earmarked for breast cancer research. Take the cheques and send them to the cancer society on a weekly basis or even deliver them in person (in a skirt of course).
(2) Organize a walk, run, ride or whatever where men participate in the event wearing a skirt. The important part here is to have the men wear a skirt that would look appropriate on a man. I have seen events like those where men put on women's clothes and look ridiculous. To me that is mocking the women and that is not what we want to do. We must show them respect by looking masculine in a skirt and showing them that we care about them and want to show the our concern for their health issues. I am painfully aware of what cancer can do. My wife has beat it 4 times now. the most recent of which was a couple of years ago. Fortunately she was diagnosed early enough each time for them to get rid of it but I still fear for the next time. The last bout was in the bladder which was successfully cured unlike a friend that I had at my last job that died of the very same cancer just a few months ago. My oldest brother died of cancer a number of years ago and my late father had his prostrate removed, as I recently found out. He did not die of cancer but he could have if they had not done so. I am now older that my brother was when he died and he was 9 years my senior.

Another opportunity would be get others involved by setting up a booth at your local mall manned by men in skirts and taking donations. It might also be possible to get a t-shirt printed with Men In Skirts Supporting Women With Breast Cancer.
Well that's my idea for now... Comments are definitely welcome and feel free to take my idea as your own. I will know that I put it out there and I am not one to seek notoriety so grab it and run with it..... just don't deviate from it.
George

[skirt24]

I am new here but I have been reading the posts on a daily basis. This idea you have is a good way to promote men in skirts while helping out a good cause. As always some people are going to say something about it.

[Taj]

There may be a way to represent skirted men as straight forward apparel to avoid silliness or cross-dressing. The idea of men specifically in jeans skirts would pass as unisex at least and has the best chance of looking safely male. Kilts would be another "safe" option, but it's not about being Scottish. Just a couple of random thoughts FWIW.

[skirtyscot]

Very interesting idea, George, and Taj's refinement would be an excellent way to stop men going in drag for a laugh. It may also get more men to take part.

At my work we have dress down day once a month and you are expected to make a small contribution to charity. Nearly all the women turn up in their jeans, and when I remark upon that the usual response is "it's because they are more comfortable". (All except one whom I have never seen in trousers, and of course she wears skirts for the same reason.) Maybe I will get everyone to sponsor me to turn up in a skirt for the day, and give the women a man's view on which is comfier.

[SkirtRevolution]

While I think the Concept is a great idea,respectfully, I think the choice of charity is a VERY BAD IDEA. To support women with breast cancer immediately associates the skirt with femininity. It suggest that it is a women’s garment therefore we will wear in support of women, unfortunately this will not help our cause. If I may suggest we should support somthing like PROSTATE CANCER or MALE INFERTILITY. A few reason for this is. 1. It will reinforce that the skirt is also a masculine garment not just for women and it make so much sense for men to wear skirts for comfort and health. 2. The wearing of pants has already been proven to affect men in these areas so it gives us a very strong reason to wear more comfortable and suitable clothing 3. We are fighting for a men’s cause not a women’s cause, also there is charity after charity for women but not much for men, but men’s related charities are now on the rise, the west will grap onto a new charity like a bee to honey with huge media prospects so lets design our own. 4. There is already a movement on face book for this so there are others that will support it. 5.We need to promote OUR reason for wearing skirts, COMFORT, HEALTH, EQUALITY, MEN CAN LOOKMASCULINE IN A SKIRT MADE FOR MEN and this cannot happen when we are supporting a womens cause.

I really strongly believe that supporting a womens charity will be our undoing and reinforce the world ideas of skirts as being feminine. There is a much more appropriate cause we need to support and thats MEN'S HEALTH. This is for mens skirts so it has to be for a men's related issue.

Also, men figthing for men's skirt for men's health will get a lot of media attention.

[SkirtRevolution]

Here is the link for the site on facebook

STOP PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR CANCER, MEN FOR SKIRTS

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-pros ... 0837212343

Supporting a women’s cause will not give any reason for why men should wear skirt rather it will be seen as a joke and we will have men running around in stupid pink tutu's.

If we make it for men, we can incorporate all our reason for wearing skirts. It becomes not just a fight for men’s health, but also a fight for men’s skirts. It will be a fight to show that men can look masculine in skirts and there is no reason why there is inequality and prejudice toward men fashion and skirts.

[couyalair]

STOP PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR CANCER, MEN FOR SKIRTS

Quite agree; keep to male themes.

Martin

[klaatu]

Thanks for your input. I agree that we should keep the cause male based.

[STEVIE]

No, there should be no exclusion, how about Cancer Research Scotland or U.K. How about we try to enlist the help of a celebrity, Eddy Izzard or Grayson Perry. This illness has no respect for anything, no exceptions. If we really want to try to be out there to help we cannot be seen to be selective in any way. As far as dress down days go I genrerally don't paricipate but contribute.
This could be a turning point.
Steve.

[ethelthefrog]

I think I'm with SkirtRevolution and couyalair on this one, yet Steve makes a good point. I think that, maybe, charity efforts seen as women only (most people forget that men get breast cancer too) are probably not what we're after. Testicular cancer is fine, serious problem and not women-only. Cancer Research Scotland (or UK) are also fine, as they are also not women-only. Basically, if we're wearing our skirts and shouting about "women's issues", we're not doing skirts-for-men any favours.

Paul.

[SkirtRevolution]

Basically, if we're wearing our skirts and shouting about "women's issues", we're not doing skirts-for-men any favours.

Paul.

Couldn't of said it any better. If we are fighting for a womens issue then all of our goals for men's skirts go out the window but if we make it a mens issue then the skirt can become the trade mark to trumpet our cause. There are so many issues out there and each are as important as the other, but there is so little in regards to raising awareness for men, and us men really need it so this can be a two fold goal, mens health and skirts for men.

[klaatu]

I found this link very interesting. If you transpose the incidents of prostate cancer with the countries or societies where men wear skirts it kinda makes sense. YMMV
http://web.archive.org/web/200602052355 ... ctfstat;99

[Big and Bashful]

Pity the link doesn't work, well, not for me anyway. The dreaded 404 message pops up.

[klaatu]

reposted link
http://web.archive.org/web/200602052355 ... ctfstat;99

[skirtyscot]

Interesting, though of course a correlation does not imply a cause. There are wide differences between trouser-wearing countries as well, so there must be lots of other reasons. Very high in the USA, so perhaps linked to over-eating, or caused by excessive exposure to presidents called Bush.