Out and About -- In the World at Large

[Bill]

I won't use a purse because I'd be apt to leave it somewhere.

Exactly. I have two small (purses) bags. My wife bought them for me. They are both cross-body bags. One, the Coach bag, is large enough to hold my main camera and lens, plus a spare battery (and my cell phone case and car keys). The other is small and was presented as a small camera bag at a local hi-end beach store - it is good for my cell phone and keys and not much more. They are both cross-body style - so I don't take them off anywhere (except in our car). Works for me but, of course, YMMV.

[FLbreezy]

Went to Disney for a few days, as we do periodically. I wore shorts part of the time and a kilt (nice tartan utility style) one evening, just my preference for this trip. Usually the kilt is a positive experience but this time I felt kind of negative about it. The park was less crowded so maybe I was more visible? I don't know, people seemed to keep looking at me, one grumpy guy passed and just said "you need a sporran!" (WTF?!) and it just wasn't how I usually feel about things. Mostly in my mind, perhaps, but I just didn't have the mental energy to be the center of attention. I maybe could have worn a plain skirt and it would have been different.

The next day I wore shorts (and was uncomfortable) and because there is a marathon weekend coming up, there were lots of women around and probably 80% were wearing skirts/skorts of all lengths and styles and body types. Internally raging because they can casually wear whatever they choose but I'm not afforded the same consideration without being the odd person out.

[Layne]

So sorry you had a bad experience. I went on a larger family trip to WDW and wore kilts, exclusively all week. Yes they drew a lot of attention. As a matter of fact, almost every time I went through the park gates, I was “randomly selected for additional screening”. So much so that it became our inside joke and when we’d walk through a gate, before anyone said anything, my wife would say - we’ll meet you at “x” after your random additional screening.

[Fred in Skirts]

So sorry you had a bad experience. I went on a larger family trip to WDW and wore kilts, exclusively all week. Yes they drew a lot of attention. As a matter of fact, almost every time I went through the park gates, I was “randomly selected for additional screening”. So much so that it became our inside joke and when we’d walk through a gate, before anyone said anything, my wife would say - we’ll meet you at “x” after your random additional screening.

Once again we are pulled aside to be looked at and checked to see if we are carrying some kind of weapon because we just want to be comfortable. I have been to WDW and will not be going back as I do not like being confronted by some a-hole in a private security uniform telling me I am a suspected terrorist!!

[FLbreezy]

So sorry you had a bad experience. I went on a larger family trip to WDW and wore kilts, exclusively all week. Yes they drew a lot of attention. As a matter of fact, almost every time I went through the park gates, I was “randomly selected for additional screening”.

Maybe it was just one of those days. I've worn skirts and kilts at WDW quite a lot in the last year and it's always been positive. The dude making the sporran comment and another older woman looking down and giving me a frown over the rim of her glasses just put me off. Maybe I was bulging and didn't realize it lol

The newest screening tech they have now is really good, I haven't been stopped at all and we just walk right through, don't even need to take anything out of my pockets or backpack.

[Paul]

Hi, I’ve just spent the past week on holiday in Lanzarote and wore skirts every day from 8 to 8, I received no comments from anyone, a couple of stares maybe but otherwise the other holiday makers didn’t bother at all. I had to wear long trousers in the evening for dinner because the hotel manager enforces his ‘Men have to wear long trousers for dinner’ or you get stopped from going in the restaurant. Apart from that I enjoyed the feeling and freedom of wearing skirts.

[crfriend]

I had to wear long trousers in the evening for dinner because the hotel manager enforces his ‘Men have to wear long trousers for dinner’ or you get stopped from going in the restaurant.

Out of curiosity, does he also enforce a skirts/dresses only for the women? If not, tell Basil to "shove it" and wear a longer skirt so some level of formality is reached -- and if you get grief, simply don't return next year.

I tend to like a bit of formality for the evening meal; thus I'll frequently wear a jacket even if there's no dress code. I'll especially do this if I'm going to be mixed with other random folk as I do when I'm riding the rails. I've never gotten any grief -- but lots of good conversations.

[Paul]

One guy did try and get in the restaurant wearing a dress all be it in a comical way, but the manager basically asked him to find another hotel to move to for the rest of his holiday. He doesn’t have any dress codes for women, they are allowed to wear absolutely anything. The hotel is called the Timanfaya Palace in Lanzarote, look it up on Trip Advisor, quite a few people abject to his sexist dress code for men, men are not even allowed to wear smart shorts either.

[jamie001]

Hi, I’ve just spent the past week on holiday in Lanzarote and wore skirts every day from 8 to 8, I received no comments from anyone, a couple of stares maybe but otherwise the other holiday makers didn’t bother at all. I had to wear long trousers in the evening for dinner because the hotel manager enforces his ‘Men have to wear long trousers for dinner’ or you get stopped from going in the restaurant. Apart from that I enjoyed the feeling and freedom of wearing skirts.

If women allowed to wear skirts or trousers, then you could have a discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant!

[prw230]

My wife & I vacationed in Branson Missouri a week or so ago. I don't wear skirts out at home, but like to when out of town. One of the days my wife wanted to go shopping, so I wore a skirt. We started out at The Landing, which is a large open air shopping mall. She was looking for shoes, so we hit every shoe store in the place. We also went to several clothing stores. From there we had lunch at a cafe, then went to the Grand Village Shops, a kind of craft market. We also hit a few craft/antique stores.
My wife bought a few things & I got a pair of earrings. She didn't find any shoes & neither of us found any clothes that we had to have. All in all, it was an enjoyable day out in a skirt! Nobody seemed to care that I was wearing a skirt. I only saw one guy stare a bit & nobody made ant comments.

[Coder]

My wife & I vacationed in Branson Missouri a week or so ago. I don't wear skirts out at home, but like to when out of town. One of the days my wife wanted to go shopping, so I wore a skirt. We started out at The Landing, which is a large open air shopping mall. She was looking for shoes, so we hit every shoe store in the place. We also went to several clothing stores. From there we had lunch at a cafe, then went to the Grand Village Shops, a kind of craft market. We also hit a few craft/antique stores.
My wife bought a few things & I got a pair of earrings. She didn't find any shoes & neither of us found any clothes that we had to have. All in all, it was an enjoyable day out in a skirt! Nobody seemed to care that I was wearing a skirt. I only saw one guy stare a bit & nobody made ant comments.

Wow. I stayed in Branson once, and while populated (compared to the surrounding areas) it doesn't strike me as MIS-friendly. None of that corridor does... but that's probably internal bias I have.

[Layne]

If women allowed to wear skirts or trousers, then you could have a discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant!

Why have we become such a litigious society? If a private business has rules, policies, etc. that you don’t like or agree with, why not simply do business elsewhere?

[crfriend]

If a private business has rules, policies, etc. that you don’t like or agree with, why not simply do business elsewhere?

This is by far and away the simplest and least confrontational way of doing it, but the problem is that there are no lessons to be learned -- by either the establishment or society -- as a takeaway. They just lost a little business -- or a lot, perhaps; who knows. Thus, to effect change some commotion needs to be added.

Now, in this, a lawsuit is over the top completely and will get the guy in a skirt laughed out of the courtroom. Easier just to have a word with the manager on the way out, perhaps to the effect of, "Pity, looks like a nice place and the menu looked interesting and I'm new in town and looking for a place close to home to frequent." (In my case, that can mean well over $100 per week in added income -- in which case it'd be their loss, not mine, but one need not get explicit.)

[jamie001]

If women allowed to wear skirts or trousers, then you could have a discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant!

Why have we become such a litigious society? If a private business has rules, policies, etc. that you don’t like or agree with, why not simply do business elsewhere?

There is a reason why lawsuit is the appropriate action in these types of cases. If you just take your business elsewhere, the owner of the establishment that is practicing discrimination doesn’t learn a lesson. They just continue in their bigoted discriminatory ways. On the other hand, if a lawsuit hurts them financially, they will stop the discrimination and hopefully they have learned an important lesson. In addition, these types of lawsuits draw media attention which will also help to shame the establishment that is practicing the discrimination.

Unfortunately, there is really no other way to combat the bigotry. Hit them in the wallet (or purse) where it really hurts and will make a lasting impression.

An example of recent cases involve a male student in Texas being sent home from school for wearing nail polish while girls face no repercussions for wearing nail polish. Other cases involve suspending a male student from school for having long hair and not allowing him to return to school until he gets his hair cut so that it is above the shirt collar. Can you believe that this is really happening in the year 2024? I would think that we are living in 1950. Religious schools are particularly bad in this regard.

The only way to fight is legally and with negative media publicity.

[Modoc]

My wife & I vacationed in Branson Missouri a week or so ago. ... All in all, it was an enjoyable day out in a skirt! Nobody seemed to care that I was wearing a skirt.

It's good to hear that you had a good skirted day. It seems that's by far the most common experience MIS have. Just seeing you out and about my have caused another guy to think about doing so himself.
M