Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
Stu
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
Location: North Lincolnshire, UK

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Stu »

rode_kater wrote: Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:17 pm In the context of this thread, the original article said the students came up with the idea themselves. So I don't know where you got the idea that I wanted schools to push anything particular.
As others point out, schools don't need to do anything, the rest of the world will introduce them to adult topics the moment they turn on the TV, look at the internet, etc.
But the school adopted the idea, encouraged it and even offered to supply garments. They should not have done that because it is a political movement and it makes the school a party to activism - involving primary age kids. That's wrong. And many parents were furious. Of course children are exposed to all manner of stuff and much of it is what parents don't want them to see. OK. But schools, and especially primary schools, should take a step back.

On hearing the idea, the Head should have addressed the whole school and explained that all items of uniform are available to all pupils. Just as girls can wear trousers as a routine clothing option, so boys can wear skirts if they choose to do so, as long as they conform to the uniform specification. That applies every day rather than just for one day.
Stu
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
Location: North Lincolnshire, UK

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Stu »

pelmut wrote: Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:22 pm If they don't get it from home, where do they get it from?  It is already prevalent by the time they are old enough to go out on their own and form a gang.
Mostly, they don't get it at all. We should celebrate that we live in a society which is highly tolerant of difference and in which those who espouse bigotry are challenged. If they exhibit such bigotry in school, then that needs to be addressed with the individual concerned and it shouldn't be seen as an excuse for a more general indoctrination of progressive ideas.
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Sinned »

Stu, I think that you are being rather harsh in all this. You may have degrees in psychobabble or whatever you have and I think that that affects your outlook and makes you over-critical and look for things that aren't there. As I see it the school is doing the best as it can. The students have found an article about a school in Spain that is trying to support a student wearing a skirt who has been victimised by the authorities. They want to offer similar support and, while it doesn't say whether they have been in touch with the Spanish school but it would be an educational project in language and social interaction with others of a different country and culture. The teachers are trying to get maximum participation but are trying to be sensitive and I presume that if someone ( parent? ) showed strong objections then they wouldn't be forced. I see nothing political in this and I see this as you seeing something that isn't there and getting the wrong answer based on your awesome intellectual experience.
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.
User avatar
moonshadow
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 6994
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:58 am
Location: Warm Beach, Washington
Contact:

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by moonshadow »

Stu wrote: Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:47 pm
pelmut wrote: Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:22 pm If they don't get it from home, where do they get it from?  It is already prevalent by the time they are old enough to go out on their own and form a gang.
Mostly, they don't get it at all. We should celebrate that we live in a society which is highly tolerant of difference and in which those who espouse bigotry are challenged. If they exhibit such bigotry in school, then that needs to be addressed with the individual concerned and it shouldn't be seen as an excuse for a more general indoctrination of progressive ideas.
I realize we're talking about an Edinburgh school, so please take my comment in a general sense.

Stu, with respect, you've obviously never spent a lot of time in an white American redneck household. Yes, they do get it from home too. The old "n" word was a regular fixture in my own family vocabulary growing up, and believe me, they weren't rapping it either.... And I'm not just talking about my father's side which was obvious (southern born and raised), but according to my mother, even my family up on Long Island was known to be pretty racist.

To answer pelmut's question:

In America, they get it from everywhere.

I'm sorry, but racism is real... yes I know there are many black racist too, but let's be candid for a moment, white people did start it.
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
Ray
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1733
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2003 7:03 am
Location: West Midlands, England, UK

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Ray »

I think it’s great that the school picked up on this idea by the children. It’s a really positive step.

Dennis - I agree with your recent views on this.
STEVIE
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 4188
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:01 pm
Location: North East Scotland.

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by STEVIE »

Ray wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:52 am I think it’s great that the school picked up on this idea by the children. It’s a really positive step.
I wish to hell that it happened when I was at school.
Side note, any boy who appeared in a kilt would have been just as well in a fluorescent tutu.
The tortures would have been very much the same.
The great divide in Scotland wasn't on race but religion, especially in the west and central areas.
Glasgow and Edinburgh were and can still be quite bad.
In the north east the climate is so damn awful that we just don't have time to care about what title you give your choice of God person. As kids we were also educated together with minor adjustments so "school" was not an identifier.
As for indoctrination, it is all around us all of our lives and the worst is the unspoken and completely insidious.
This schools initiative is not an example no matter what intellectual analysis one applies.

Steve.
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Sinned »

Ray, thank you. Stu's remarks, frankly, were getting on my nerves and I just couldn't agree with him. I'm an adopted Yorkshireman and call a spade a digging implement.
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.
Stu
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
Location: North Lincolnshire, UK

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Stu »

Sinned wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 12:21 am I see nothing political in this and I see this as you seeing something that isn't there and getting the wrong answer based on your awesome intellectual experience.
What do you think was the point of this? To give boys the experience of trying a skirt? Had that been the case, why couldn't they (a) just say that; and (b) invite the lads to do it every day? It was nothing of the sort.

The story was reported in several newspapers, including The Times and it was expressly stated that this was inspired by teenage boys in a senior school in Spain who were showing solidarity with women and in support of feminism. This was primary school children being encouraged to participate in what was in reality political activism. That is the truth.

And you don't need a degree in psychobabble to work that out.
Stu
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
Location: North Lincolnshire, UK

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Stu »

moonshadow wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 12:52 am Stu, with respect, you've obviously never spent a lot of time in an white American redneck household.
You are right about that. I have never even met a white American redneck, so far as I know. I have American colleagues, but they all have PhDs from Cornell or Yale or wherever, so I guess they wouldn't qualify as rednecks???

My comments related to my own country.
Stu
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
Location: North Lincolnshire, UK

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Stu »

Sinned wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 3:36 pm Ray, thank you. Stu's remarks, frankly, were getting on my nerves and I just couldn't agree with him. I'm an adopted Yorkshireman and call a spade a digging implement.
I am a real Yorkshireman and I don't think you have properly engaged with the actual points I was making. Or maybe you are happy if your child's primary school encourages them to participate in woke activism.
User avatar
moonshadow
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 6994
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:58 am
Location: Warm Beach, Washington
Contact:

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by moonshadow »

Stu wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 7:30 pm I have American colleagues, but they all have PhDs from Cornell or Yale or wherever, so I guess they wouldn't qualify as rednecks???
:lol: I'd say you're right about that, but putting them together in the same situation might make for good comedy.
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Sinned »

I hate the term, "woke activism". "Woke" - "alert to prejudice or discrimination", "activism" - "policy of vigorous campaigning to bring about change". So in reality the combination is overly sensitive tools that go around damaging statues and things and congregating in town centres for the purpose of assaulting police. The two just don't seem to correspond somehow. I still don't see the gravity of things that you do or the political sinistre. Maybe I've just led a more sheltered life or I just have a different outlook and we;ll just have to agree to disagree.
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.
User avatar
Kirbstone
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5571
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:55 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Kirbstone »

Hi Dennis,
It must have been a terrible wrench for you to have had to admit to being just a mere adopted Yorkshireman. I sympathize greatly and hope that in time you will recover from this terrible blow.
When my son, during his speech to the 'medieval' diners in Warwick Castle referred to 'Yorkies', he was on the lookout for born & bred ones, I assume.
I quite fail to understand right at this latter end of my time on this Planet, just hot hot under the collar some people have to get over issues.

Tomorrow I fly to Brexitshire to attend the funeral of my own closest Brother, who passed way a couple of weeks ago. It will be my first exposure to air and train transport since Covid and I am aware just how dangerous this trip might be, but Bro. went through Dentistry with me and was my Best Man and his family want me to say a few words....Part of the plan is to avoid the worst of the hold-ups to transport Daughter and her harp from Plymouth to Hitchin, Beds for the Ceremony and back again !

Tom
Carpe Diem......Seize the Day !
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14433
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by crfriend »

Tom,
Kirbstone wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 10:17 pmTomorrow I fly to Brexitshire to attend the funeral of my own closest Brother, who passed way a couple of weeks ago.
I am greatly saddened to hear that news. Best of luck with the trip -- and please stay safe!
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Edinburgh school asks boys to wear skirts on 4 November

Post by Sinned »

Tom, firstly my condolences on the passing of your brother. Not having any siblings I will never be in your position but we did experience the passing of a 29 year old son which I still have difficulty coming to terms with. Safe journey and at least you won't see any of our dragons. St George killed all the suvern ones and our norvern ones don't go south of the 'umber and are particular who they eat. They think those from the sourf are clowns 'cos they taste funny.

As for me only being adoptive, I can live with that. I'm more Tyke by nature than natal although my wife has convinced me that we have more than enough shekels [0] and compels me to part with one or two occasionally. We have even been known to dine out more than once in a week. I originate in Pink Panther country - Dur-um, dur-um ....[1] As my boss [2] once asked me, "What's the definition of a Yorkshireman?" Answer, "A Scotsman with the generosity bred out."

[0] Euros to you, Tom
[1] Durham
[2] A Scottish Jew - all the more poignant
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.
Post Reply