Stu wrote:The danger is for the men-in-skirts issue to be hijacked by narrow lobby groups such as LGBT or feminism rather than being seen as simply a matter of men's rights to enjoy a broader range of sartorial options as women take for granted.
This is my primary worry. Whilst it might
seem that there is surface commonality between "men-in-skirts" and the other groups, once one starts digging one recognises the agendas are entirely different. We're already seeing this in the overt hijacking of "freedom of choice over what to wear" as being an absolute statement of being trans-*. This'll put the straight guys off the scent faster than anything going, and I suspect these pressure-groups know it and are acting accordingly.
The main issue is that there really
isn't the "freedom to choose what to wear" if one is a straight male in modern western society. If one attempts to exercise freedom, one automatically gets classified into a box that entirely likely doesn't fit. Face it, the vast majority of guys are perfectly straight -- and the various other labels don't apply, and guys quite rightfully have a right to object to being classified under such labels. Unfortunately, there's a fear of ridicule and rejection that goes along with the "off-normal" (there, I've gone and said it) labels, and it's that fear that keeps the straight guys from exercising what ought to be a reasonable freedom to chose what the want to wear. So they self-police and the attitude hardens.
In the state election just passed in Massachusetts was a referendum question concerning "gender expression" as it pertains to public accommodations (a "potty law"). The question was whether to uphold what the legislature already passed or to repeal it ("Yes" and "No" respectively). I took some playful stick at the place I hang on weekends over this, was asked whether I voted yes or no (I voted "Yes" [0]), and was asked whether I was going to start using the women's room. I simply stated, "No, I'm a guy. Why would I want to do that?". The guy was trying to get a rise out of me, and I wasn't going to take the bait. However, I was offended that the notion even arose. I wear skirts (and the occasional dress) out of choice and because I like the feel and looks of the garments --
not because I something I'm not, nor am I trying to "game the system" by portraying myself as something I'm not.
[0] by way of poking a stick in the Religious Right's eye. (1) Who am I to judge somebody else, (2) The law doesn't apply to me and doesn't hurt anybody, and (3) To tell the holier-than-thou to get a life and stay out of others' lives. "Yes" was chosen by a margin of
68% to 32% which gives an indication of the hold that the far right in Massachusetts has.