The Washington Post: Opinion: The men in skirts at the Met Gala made defying gender norms look fun

[Coder]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... irts-2022/

This is in regards to the Met Gala, where pushing boundaries with fashion is expected, and they are making a passing attempt at being Panem.

But confining men to basic black and white and to conservative cuts of traditional formalwear is to deny them opportunities for joy and curiosity.

Also, amazingly, there is a comment section.

[moonshadow]

Also, amazingly, there is a comment section.

It wasn't a particularly pleasant read... Mostly just self righteous know-it-alls trying to save men from that dreaded femininity.

Macho society: Express your freedom!
*guy decides to wear a skirt...*
Macho society: Not like that!

Gheeze... "freedom" they keep saying that word, but I don't think they really know what it means.

[Coder]

Also, amazingly, there is a comment section.

It wasn't a particularly pleasant read... Mostly just self righteous know-it-alls trying to save men from that dreaded femininity.

Macho society: Express your freedom!
*guy decides to wear a skirt...*
Macho society: Not like that!

Gheeze... "freedom" they keep saying that word, but I don't think they really know what it means.

Oh, I certainly wasn’t endorsing the comments section - I just marvel at times when I see one as a lot of news sites are removing them.

And I LOL’d at your comment - so so true.

[new2skirts]

From what I saw, a lot of comments were positive, one even saying why discuss men in skirts and photograph them from just the waist up?

Women moaning about skirts and the hassle that came from wearing them also came up... but if these same ieople just wore a Thom Browne skirt every now and then in day to day life and intermix with bifurcated garments, that's when we know it's not just a "look at me" stunt for the cameras...

I would still buy regular skirts that cost the fraction of the price of these designer pieces and would probably fit me better too

[mishawakaskirt]

Read the article saw the ho hum pictures. Not many men in skirts, several shown from the waist up, were they actually wearing skirts, it would be nice to actually see.

Again why is gender brought into this?

A woman in trousers or a skirt is still a woman, and is nothing scandalous.
But if a man puts on a skirt he is defying gender norms.
And a scandalous magic act? Skirt must be magical because every man that puts one on has been feminized.
And magically become female and changed gender.

Are women at risk of developing 5 o clock shadow and deep bassy voice for having worn jeans? Are they Plagued with the sudden onset desire to go hunting or fishing once in trousers?
I think not.

Then why men treated like the dangling bits are in danger of falling off if they don a skirt.

I have been wearing skirts for 25 years now and guess what my dangling bits haven't fallen off yet.
(God attached them quite well really, It's like He knew what he was doing.)

So thank you society, thank you for your concern, I'm good nothing has fallen off yet, everything is still in working order.
I still do male things, watch male things, love my wife, and family. Yep still very male.

[rode_kater]

Then why men treated like the dangling bits are in danger of falling off if they don a skirt.

By who? I read the article and I don't see any suggestion of that. In fact, I read it as saying quite the opposite.

[STEVIE]

Again why is gender brought into this?
I still do male things, watch male things, love my wife, and family. Yep still very male.

Ermmm, haven't you kind of answered your own question?
Personally, I just "watch", never did check check the attachments.
Planning to do some shopping today, is that a real male thing or something else entirely?
Steve

[Midas]

It’s all in the body language. If you go out conduct yourself as a man, the fact that you are wearing a skirt or dress is incidental.

Having worn skirts and dresses in public for a few months I have reached the point where I forget how I am dressed unless something brings it to my attention. Last week I got my first compliment in the food department of my local M&S. I was using the self checkout when the assistant overseeing this part of the shop approached and said she really liked my dress (a Seasalt Pier View in blue with white flowers). My first reaction was surprise as I was completely tuned out to the fact that I had a dress on. A conversation ensued about how good it is to wear what one wants and that life is too short to worry about what other people think.

I have always been one to react when annoyed and most un-English in being unafraid to have a row in public. Should the situation arise I don’t foresee the fact that I’m in a dress or skirt holding me back. That said, people are less likely to annoy me while I’m in a skirt both because it makes me more relaxed and others also tend to be friendlier.

[Pdxfashionpioneer]

Mishakawaskirt said,

A man dons a skirt ... And magically become(s) female and changed gender.

You're not only misunderstanding what was said in the headline, you're misunderstanding the term gender. The headline referred to "Gender Norms." That is, the actions, in this case presentation, generally expected of a masculine person.

In today's usage, gender refers to one's identity and presentation; masculine, feminine, something in between (such as sticking to most of the norms, but not all of them) or different. Whether you are male or female is one's sex; male, female, something in between (such as intersexed) or different (Even I'm not sure what that might be, but these days you have to leave all options open.).

We live in changing times so some things are confusing. But change has been a constant in the human condition. The only difference today is how fast the changes are coming and that it seems like the rate of change has been accelerating throughout our lifetimes.

[pelmut]

SEX:   Male - - - intersex spectrum - - - Female   [Detectable at birth - unchangeable]

GENDER:   Masculine - - - gender spectrum - - - Feminine  [Detectable at age 5 - unchangeable but often mis-declared and corrected later]

GENDER PRESENTATION:   Man - - - non-binary - - - Woman   [Changeable - should be a matter of personal choice but often enforced by others]

SEXUAL PREFERENCE:   Who you want to go to bed with - - - absolutely nothing to do with any of the above.

CLOTHING PREFERENCE:   What you like to wear - - - absolutely nothing to do with any of the above.