Men’s Fashion Freedom & Liberal Sniggers

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John Stuart Mill along with Adam Smith & John Locke is considered one of the great philosophers of British Liberalism. Mill was a founding member of the Liberal Party & I’d like to be that much of what he wrote in his book On Liberty is still the foundation of liberal philosophy today. On Liberty is famous for arguing ‘That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others’. This is often referred to as Mill’s Harm Principle. This principle has become integral to libertarian philosophy but sadly though I’d like to be integral to liberal philosophy these days is very much less so.

In On Liberty Mill also argued against the ‘Tyranny Of The Majority’ to be used to impose etiquette & morality. This is basically a reaction against social control & one I agree with particularly considering I sit here writing this whilst wearing a dress & according to social convention men shouldn’t wear dresses.

Since the days of Mill liberal philosophy has changed, equality has become just as important component to liberalism as freedom & the Liberal Party has become the Liberal Democrat Party a party who I’ve been a member of because I to believe in freedom & equality. But if liberal proclaim to believe in freedom & equality why is it they snigger at the concept of Men’s Fashion Freedom & denounce it as silly.

The concept of Men’s Fashion Freedom is based upon the logic that if its socially acceptable for women to wear trousers then in all fairness it should be socially acceptable for men to wear dresses & have long hair. The concept of Men’s Fashion Freedom has a logic based on equality & freedom yet liberals who claim to advocate such just snigger & denounce Men’s Fashion Freedom as silly.

Is not freedom of expression an important civil liberty & don’t liberals proclaim they are defenders of civil liberties. If that were truly the case then no liberal would snigger at the concept of Men’s Fashion Freedom for it is very much about freedom of expression & the right of any man to be free to express himself how he wishes so long as he isn’t harming another & a guy wearing a dress ain’t harming another.

Furthermore liberals have often claimed they defend non conformity, in fact its printed on the back of every Liberal Democrat membership card that no individual should be enslaved by conformity. Yet liberals seem somewhat unwilling to defend a men who don’t obey conventions surrounding male self expression when they aren’t harming others & I can’t help thinking that liberals have forgotten what Mill wrote about not allowing the tyranny of the majority to dictate etiquette & morality or in other words allowing the tyranny of the majority to dictate social convention. Basically liberals should be advocating that if there is to be a state one of its roles should be to protect individuality & ensure respect for individuality.

As the most famous Mill quote goes ‘Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.’
Its far greater respect for individual sovereignty which is sorely needed Of course I often have said that the greatest benefit to Men’s Fashion Freedom isn’t going to come from some lobbying group trying to get protection from the law but from more practitioners of Men’s Fashion Freedom to be seen in public demonstrating they can lead constructive & worthwhile lives.

However it does anger me when those who proclaim to believe in freedom & equality don’t when presented with proof of restriction & inequality which Men’s Fashion Freedom was born out of.