That's a tough one. The foremost one I used to have, which has largely been proved non-existent, was getting the living tar kicked out of me by some ignoramous who felt the need to "prove" his "masculinity". Fortunately, nothing even close has ever transpired.Bravehearts.us wrote:What is your biggest fear when you are out in public or what is your biggest fear that stops you from going out in public? In other words, in your mind, what is it you think will happen?
Lar
Creature comforts, like keeping one's teeth intact, aside, there are a plethora of other fears and insecurities, most of which seem to be imagined.
Sticking out in a crowd. Men typically want to -- no, not just "want to", actively try to -- blend into the background. If every bloke at any given public place is dressed identically it's called a "success" (women have precisely the opposite problem). Face it, if you're wearing a skirt you will stand out from the crowd, and that can be pretty scary for anyone other than an extreme extrovert.
Appearing "feminine". Men fear for their "masculinity" (whatever that may be) and, by social conditioning, eschew anything that might even remotely call that into question. How many times do parents, with good intentions, tell their sons that, "big boys don't cry"? It's dreck, as adults we know that, but it still carries quite a bit of weight. Guys don't want to appear "weak" -- even amongst close friends (perhaps even more so then).
Ridicule. Nobody likes to be poked fun at unless one is extremely self-secure and the joke was a really good one. A derisive jibe of, "Hey look at that clown in a skirt" would more than likely be more than the average bloke could deal with (hence the collective wisdom of trying skirts well away from home where nobody will recognise the wearer so the wearer won't have to worry about the consequences on Monday morning).
Loss of respect. This is more an indictment of the intelligence and character of the person who "loses respect" for the bloke wearing the skirt, but it still has the power to cut deeply. This, again, is why we get coached into trying our first "outings" in unfamiliar territory -- which may actually be counterproductive because it instills in us the notion that we're "doing something wrong".
From personal experience, and understanding that I know I'm in a very tiny minority of men, I find that it was easiest to just toss the skirt on and head down to my local bar/pub. Folks there know me; they know what I'm capable of; they know my views on things; and they know how I think. Showing up one evening in a skirt, admittedly with my wife, was vastly easier than if I'd decided to go on a "road trip" to try it out. I understand that I stick out when I'm in a skirt -- and even more so if the thing's short -- so I just adjust my attitude to deal with that; I find I smile more and ultimately feel more confident in things. "Loss of respect" is something I don't worry about; my co-workers know I wear skirts, and whilst there have been good-natured jibes on the matter it has not done one whit of damage to my reputation (it's good to be a technocrat).
Ultimately, it just doesn't matter. If a body is comfortable, he's likely to be a bit more confident than if one is all trussed up; it's a matter of attitude. That, and for the most part, people just don't care so long as the "private bits" remain private.
