One small step

[nitrox]

Today I saw (walking through Ikea) a bloke and his gf shopping for things and his gf was wearing a purse (no big deal, I know) and then I noticed he was also wearing a purse or bag and both of them were wearing it the same way. His was a bit larger than hers. I could clearly see that he was wearing athletic shorts probably without pockets and no one seemed to mind it I almost didn't notice but I was like "wow, he has a purse, but damn that's a good idea if I go shopping while wearing my skinsuit after practice"..

[Steven]

I carry a purse almost all the time now for that exact reason, a typical day before I used a purse and was skating was,

Get dressed for skating, put keys, photographs, camera, phone, pens, notes, buisness cards, money, and wallet into change of clothing duffle bag, put tissues and water into skating bag.

Arrive at rink, put money, keys, and cell phone in skate bag, put skates on, put wallet, cell phone, and keys in skating notebook and take into rink with water and tissues.

Get done with skating, takes keys, wallet and cell phone out of skating notebook and put into skate bag, put water and tissues back into skate bag.

Go to work, put wallet, cell phone, money and keys into change of clothing duffle bag, change clothes, put keys, money, notes and pens in pockets. Put wallet and phone in desk.

Leave for work, put cellphone and wallet in pockets (I can't tell you how many times I've gone home wihout them) Arrive home and empty pockets and bags out to start all over again the next day.

------

All this very time consuming and annoying especially when I forget something like my wallet inthe bag, or leave it a home, or the cell phone, notes, and even the pen. Sure if I forget my purse I'll have just about everything missing, but the constant shuffling of things between all my pockets, bags, and notebooks was becoming a bit much so I said, "What the heck?" It just made sense to use something suited to the task of holding all the stuff I had.

My mom would rather see me carying a briefcase, but a purse is much more flexible and throwaroundable and it offers much more convience in my opinion (and easier to carry and work with)

I also find it a plus as I can carry my pictures and those key ring savings cards that I was always forgetting when I went shopping.

Never had a problem with anyone from it yet.

Steven

P.S. Just to be back on topic, the civil rights commision has found probable cause to my complaint of discrimination and have decided to hold a hearing, I don't have a date yet, but will let it be known when I get it.

[Topsy]

Just to be back on topic, the civil rights commision has found probable cause to my complaint of discrimination and have decided to hold a hearing, I don't have a date yet, but will let it be known when I get it.

Good luck with your case Steven, I feel the world's opinion has to come round to men's clothing rights this year.

[Topsy]

Tomorrow is the next step in my campaign.

I have a grievance hearing with my senior manager. I am meeting my union rep at 0900 when we will plan the campaign for the meeting (a one hour 'chat').

Onwards

[crfriend]

I have a grievance hearing [tomorrow] with my senior manager. I am meeting my union rep at 0900 when we will plan the campaign for the meeting (a one hour 'chat').

Best of luck!

[Skirt Chaser]

One thing I might recommend is keeping the majority of the issue with your employer on that of equal rights and less so on medical data.

This is NOT ment to discredit any medical evidence out there, but I was thinking this should be simply an issue between your rights and your stubbern management, rather than butting a medical study against 15 company-paid doctors who say its wrong. Also, it seems that your connections with the union are mostly that on the right to wear a skirt, rather than a medical issue. My suggestion is to keep the issue of equal rights the basis of your arguement for simplicity sake, and also since your union is obviously taken this issue solely on the equal rights part of it.

I'll add that this is very good advice since the obvious solution to the medical angle from the workplace viewpoint is merely pants with a lower crotch. Since that is not what you are after be careful in your presentation. I wish you success, Topsy!

Quiet Mouse

[Topsy]

I sat in a tiny non-windowed room with a standalone AC and three colleagues on Monday afternoon.

Outside temp was 92F and the building AC was not behaving (AC dosn't work if you open windows!). Perfect conditions for my grievance hearing. The senior manager was there because he had to be not because he wanted to be .... And I got there late thanks to the public transport system.

We concentrated on my objections to the earlier 'no' letter. Of course when I got onto the subject of kilts, the manager dropped into his natural scottish accent (which he normally hides) and went on a rant about kilts being just a part of the 'uniform' and can't be worn independantly. No convert there.

Ultimately he does not get to make the decision himself and it has to go to the HR managers in London. He also said it could take up to 3 months for a decision. Roll on October.

After over an hour in that room the first thing I did was leave the building, get back to my home town and sit on a bar stool for an hour!

[geegee]

Well done Topsy. Isn't it ridiculous, or at least let us hope it looks ridiculous in years to come.
I overheard a converstion on the train between a young lady and her mother on her mobile 'phone the other day (You can't help it, can you?) This young lady worked in a supermarket and apparently had been given the choice several months ago of skirts or trousers for their uniform. This person had chosen trousers, but in this heatwave was regretting the decision and "demanding" that managment provide her with a skirt in the right size. She referred to a male workmate who had witnessed this "confrontation" and said that he didn't see why he shouldn't have a skirt as well. The young lady thought that this remark was hilarious and it had obviously not occured to her that this might have been a serious point. (I don't know whether the male workmate was making a serious point or not.)

Geegee.
"Comfort before conformity."

[Since1982]

the manager dropped into his natural scottish accent (which he normally hides) and went on a rant about kilts being just a part of the 'uniform' and can't be worn independantly.

Topsy, methinks you're giving him an excuse for denying you by bringing kilts into this at all. I thought the original idea was to wear skirts to work, not just kilts. If he's Scottish and older, he might be able to convince others that "kilts" are part of the Scottish national garb and should not be worn by anyone not Scottish. I think if you zero in on wearing actual skirts to work he then has no valid excuse for denying them, as skirts are not part of any national heritage, except perhaps the mountain kingdom of Bhutan, they are just a personal comfort choice. This seems to be a problem on the part of only that one manager who seems to have a lot of pull with his managers. I really think if you agree to not wear kilts, he might be less reluctant to deny your want to be comfortable in skirts. :whiteflag

[ChrisM]

Skip makes a very good point: Make the subject "skirts" and it will defuse any discussion of National Dress, Kilt Uniforms, and the like. Simply agree with him: "Aye Jock, you're absolutely right about the Kilt requiring a complete uniform. That's why I don't want to wear a kilt to work, any more than I want to wear a Tuxedo to work. I merely want the right to wear a skirt to work: Exactly the same right as half the workforce already has."

[Topsy]

Perhaps a little word is need here before this get out of hand.

I spent an hour discussing my right to wear skirts in the office and only after a hour did I raise the kilt question. The rest of the conversatio was a repeat of what we had already discussed (he had a copy, I didn't).

Today was another very hot day. Thankfully it was a day off so a knee length pale blue skirt was needed .....

[Since1982]

Perhaps a little word is need here before this get out of hand.

You don't want us to comment and try to help??? If my comments and suggestions are "getting out of hand" I'll gladly stop making any.

[Departed Member]

Please don't allow this particular manager to get away with "Kilt = Uniform" or "Kilt = Costume". I'm sure your Union rep will have realised this is just an attempt to (sidetrack, divide/conquer) undermine your case. In fact, there is a deliberate attempt, on his part, to intimidate the rest of the panel, as well as yourself. A Kilt is a skirt - period. The danger here is semantics. If you go (or think of going) down the road of "Well, I only want to wear this style of skirt, but not that one", your case is as good as lost.

[boca]

From what I can gather the issue has been the right of clothing choice to wear unbifurcated clothing, with the title being "skirts" as encompassing all of the various forms of them (utilikilts, pleated skirts, etc.). I would recommend keeping the wordage simply to "skirt". Once you've won that title, then you are basically free to wear any of the "skirt-like" garments now that you have broken the skirt barrier.

[iain]

The common sense approach is getting to be overwhelming. People from all walks of life are starting to realise that a skirted garment is cooler for a man as well. If only for that reason, I hope this heatwave continues!

I have worn a short sarong all week and have been wonderfully cool! if there's a breeze it's so great. I've been around the house mainly, but the neighbours and local shopkeepers seem oblivious to it now.

in 20 years time I imagine that all this ingrained trouser nonsense will look as ridiculous as 1980's pop videos do now.