skirtcafe.org

I loved what this kid did. I just hope they don't forbid boys from wearing skirts, but do allow shorts. Instead I hope they do away with gender based clothing limits. That would be very very cool, and about friggin time.

Pythos wrote:I loved what this kid did. I just hope they don't forbid boys from wearing skirts, but do allow shorts. Instead I hope they do away with gender based clothing limits. That would be very very cool, and about friggin time.

The headteacher made it clear in his interview that the uniform policy was intentionally gender-neutral and that the boy was entirely at liberty to wear a skirt if he wanted to.

Whether or not they're going to allow shorts (which will also have to be a gender-neutral inclusion) is another matter entirely, of course.

Paul

ethelthefrog wrote:I think the biggest journey was for my wife. I've been (theoretically, at least) happy to go skirted outdoors since this journey began for me, a year ago. I've been keeping it indoors out of deference to her feelings on the matter, and biding my time while she collects data. The more data she collects, the more sanguine she's become about the idea. I am hopeful that she'll be comfortable with me going skirted in public on a sub-geological timescale.

This is starting to sound like it may become a nicely polished win in the future, which would be a wondrous happenstance indeed!

As has oft been pointed out, it's those that are closest to us -- those that we are most afraid of hurting or annoying -- that can be the most vociferous critics of any style choice that might be labelled "different". We need to be sensitive to that, but it's also important to drive the point home that it's a fashion statement and nothing else (be honest if there is anything else; that's only fair). By way of example, this past weekend I attended my eldest aunt's 70th birthday gathering and did so in one of my skirt rigs -- and the main path of questioning was, "What does this mean?", with something Earth-shattering expected as an answer, like I'm unhappy as a man. A comment of, "It's a fashion choice, pure and simple. There is no subtext." was as plain as I could make it. Recall that even Freud was forced, in the end, to finally admit that, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".

Well, if a 12-year-old can do it, so can I. The only way this flag is going to be flown is if we fly it.

Indeed that's the case. if you don't wear your skirts -- or kilts -- in public, no-one will do so for you. You're in for a long wait if you hold off and wait for somebody else to do it. (Speaking of dead horses, I might as well stop beating that one.)

OK - Inquiring minds want to know - - - - - -

Is there any new info about the kid
Any updates of his stance in clothing choices
Are any of the other male students following his lead

Uncle Al

Whether or not they're going to allow shorts (which will also have to be a gender-neutral inclusion) is another matter entirely, of course.

Would be interesting to see what would happen if the girls started wearing "gender neutral" shorts to school...I wonder if the Headmaster would allow the girls to (as is commonplace) wear whatever they please, while still still stopping boys from wearing them...

Since1982 wrote:Would be interesting to see what would happen if the girls started wearing "gender neutral" shorts to school...I wonder if the Headmaster would allow the girls to (as is commonplace) wear whatever they please, while still still stopping boys from wearing them...

As I understand it, dressing codes HAVE to be gender neutral in UK. Or let someone correct me.

I think this is a minor breakthrough because it has shown that a boy can wear a school without starting Armageddon - in other words, skirt wearing by young males is just a tiny bit less of an absolute taboo than it was before, and that has to be a plus. The fact that the boy concerned garnered positive press attention and also that he was not victimised at school are also encouraging. Widespread acceptance of skirts as a male fashion choice is going to be a very slow and gradual process - I would be very surprised if one single episode is going to open the floodgates. The necessary societal and psychological changes are going to happen piecemeal in my view.

To answer Sylvain - no, school dress codes in the UK don't have to be neutral. My youngest daughter went to a private school before we left the UK and moved to Sweden. At her school, girls had to wear skirts - all the time - no option - so boys being confined to trousers wasn't an issue. That was fair because there was a clear dress code for both sexes. Some years ago, the (now defunct) Equal Opportunities Commission did some sabre rattling in trying to claim that forcing girls to wear skirts was discriminatory because skirts were less practical, and threatening to take any school to court which would not give them the option of trousers. At the same time, this loathsome organisation said they would not support the right of boys to wear skirts because such items were not "socially conventional". In other words, they were only interested in promoting female rights in this respect. In spite of their threats, they never acted upon this, so schools have been able to decide for themselves. Allowing girls to have a choice while denying any choice to boys is clearly discriminatory and it disadvantages boys. Several schools have got round this by banning skirts completely, requiring both sexes to wear trousers.

Interestingly, the head of the local primary school where I lived in the UK, and which my eldest daughter attended, sent out a letter saying that trousers, shorts and skirts were to be worn by pupils, and they were allowed to wear red and white dresses in summer, regardless of gender. When it was joking asked in a meeting if that meant the policy was to allow boys to wear skirts and dresses, she said, in absolute seriousness and with obvious sincerity, that she would be "more than happy" if some boys chose to do so.

Stu

Nice to see this news. Step by step, over time, we will win.

My eldest goes to a local primary school where the uniform policy is certainly not gender-neutral. I have been having a friendly and all-round enjoyable dialogue with the head teacher about the fact that it isn't gender neutral and that girls can wear skirts or trousers, but boys cannot. Having said that, boys can wear shorts but girls cannot. In light of the current hoo-ha in the locality, I plan to drop in on her again to renew my arguments in favour of gender-neutrality.

Stu: if you could provide me with some specifics about which school your daughter went to, in what town, that would be very handy in my one-man campaign.


Paul.

ethelthefrog wrote:My eldest goes to a local primary school where the uniform policy is certainly not gender-neutral. I have been having a friendly and all-round enjoyable dialogue with the head teacher about the fact that it isn't gender neutral and that girls can wear skirts or trousers, but boys cannot. Having said that, boys can wear shorts but girls cannot.

Paul,

I don't know the rules for schools, but in the UK workplace the test is that neither gender is treated more favourably than the other. It is perfectly legal to have different dress codes for males and females, but it is not acceptable if men are required to wear a jacket and tie, long trousers, socks and shoes all year round, while women are allowed the choice of trousers, boots and warm clothing in winter and lightweight summer dresses, bare legs and sandals when that suits them better.

Having said that, don't let me stop you trying to change the school's policy in favour of allowing skirts for boys.

Have fun,


Ian.

ethelthefrog

Stu: if you could provide me with some specifics about which school your daughter went to, in what town, that would be very handy in my one-man campaign.

Will do. I will pm you.

Stu

Thanks, Stu.

Catching up on last years story about a young lad who wore a skirt to school to show discrimination against boys wearing shorts in warm weather. I found this by the Daily Wail...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... anged.html

The good news is that the rules have been relaxed - or at least for a trial period. It will mean that boys CAN now wear shorts if they wish. (Don't know if any will try the skirt option)

The comments are mostly positive too except for the usual blockheads who are given a dramatic thumbs-down.

Last Sunday night the television station 'Dave' repeated the edition of 'Have I got news for you' which mentioned this story.

Gosh, I thought it only ever showed repeats of Top Gear!