A New Approach to Explanations of My Skirt Wearing

[Caultron]

...Everything depends on context, a large part of which is how you're feeling in yourself that day. Generally, I stick with what I said to the Sunday school, or go with the comfort angle. I haven't had anything worse than genuine curiosity in the five years I've been doing this...

Over and over, it's amazing what a big deal wearing a skirt can be for us and what a trifle it is for anyone else.

Just do it, be confident, and don't flinch.

[skirtyscot]

Good for you for doing the Sunday School in a skirt! Taking a bit of a risk - you might have ended up with a bunch of children in fits of laughter. They not being as good as adults are at hiding their true thoughts as a social nicety.

I run the chess club at my local primary school, and it is one place where I have not worn a skirt. Partly because I am not sure what the school would make of it. Partly because it might be more than some of the children could cope with!

[Uncle Al]

Children are more resilient and understanding than it appears
you're giving them credit for. I'ld bet they would ask a few
questions, then continue with whatever they're doing.

Uncle Al

[skirtyscot]

Two or three of them have seen me skirted, out and about at the weekend or during the holidays. None them seemed to notice in the slightest. So I am tempted to go for it. Maybe in today's brown cord maxi. Nothing too outlandish.

[dillon]

SS,
I agree with both you and Al. The issues will not come from the kids, but from the other adults. Depending on age, kids may think very little of what you wear. They relate to you based on their firsthand knowledge of you. Not that they wouldn't notice, but they have a limited exposure to issues of (supposed) sexuality. Adults have been influenced by the misinformation provided by others to reach the belief that one's garb is evidence of one's sexuality, and that especially where children are involved, anything that even suggests sexuality in your demeanor is a risk to them. It is a harshly prejudiced view, but they are unlikely to risk with children even what they themselves may be comfortable with, even if they feel they know you well. It would entail not just the fear of inappropriate contact, but of explaining or defending to parents who worry about the influence of a skirted man on impressionable kids. That would be based of course on the same errant fear that a skirted man may be, or must be, sexually driven and perverse and gives far too much credit to an adult for his influence on the sexuality or sexual expression of their kids. We know of course that a childs peers are the main influence on most of his/her social and sexual development. Let us know if you try and how it goes.

[mikel]

SS

If there is any possibility that you could loose your position running the chess club, I would first check with the schools headmaster. As have been said before, parents are very protective of their children. A skirt wearing man to many ill-informed adults illustrates devient sexual preferences.
Been there and done that!
Mike

[skirtyscot]

Without me there would be no chess club! My request for extra adult helpers regularly falls on deaf ears. Not that that makes me 100% fireproof, no-one is indispensable. Speaking to the Head Teacher (as we call them here - we are so gender-neutral we are ready for men in skirts ) first would be the best way, I'm sure.

[Couya]

Without me there would be no chess club!

That should be your trump card!
Make use of it and don't be put off by what people may think. If we all act out of fear of what may happen (for example, refusing to publish satire of islamists for fear of reprisals) we shall soon lose whatever freedom we have won over the years.
In the case of voluntary work in a children's club, a few parents could object to your skirts and withdraw their children (bad luck, kids!), but the majority would go on as usual, since they are glad it have the kids off their hands from time to time. The activity would therefore continue and the objectors would finally realize that you are no more dangerous than another teacher or the local vicar.
I should perhaps not have written "you" and "your skirts" as if I was addressing Alastair alone. This was meant to be quite general, not personal, and of course Alastair will know best what to do in his case.
Giving in to terrorists and skirtophobes can only reinforce the position of said terrorists and people that maintain prejudiced opinions that men cannot wear skirts.

Martin