Feminism: Sex & gender discussions
Man making skirts non-gender
SusannaSpider · 16/10/2020 12:43
Sorry, stupid title.
But what do you think of this link? Man likes to wear skirts and heels to work, still definitely a man, not a transwoman, not a sexual fetish, he just thinks skirts should be non gender, likes the style etc.
I just find this really refreshing, how things should be really, Men should be able to chose more traditionally feminine clothes, whilst still being a men.
www.boredpanda.com/confident-man-wears-heels-skirt-markbryan911/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPFacebook
highame · 16/10/2020 12:48
My word he's got a lot of skirts, some he's obviously really pleased with and the well placed hands and handbag say lots 😂
ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 16/10/2020 12:50
There's one thing I've noticed a few times from TRAs, which is that they don't understand what "abolish gender" actually means. First there was that inane contrapoints video where she acts like abolishing gender means everyone dressing in beige tunics with shaved heads and talking like robots, then that stupid twitter thing last week from whoever it was, "you can't say abolish gender if you wear mascara". It misses the point so badly. Abolish gender doesn't mean no one can wear dresses, makeup, take their spouses name, be a SAHP etc, it means EVERYONE can do those things no matter which sex they are. Banning skirts isn't abolishing gender, this guy wearing skirts and saying proudly "they aren't just for women" is abolishing gender. Decoupling femininity from being female doesn't mean forbidding anyone from being feminine. So good for him, TRAs should take notes (they won't of course because they're too deeply wedding to sexist and oppressive gender stereotypes).
JKRisagryff · 16/10/2020 12:54
Love it, yes it’s a breath of fresh air and yes, trans activists think this sort of thing comes under the trans umbrella when this is actually the opposite of trans ideology. People should be allowed to dress how they want, it doesn’t make him any less male.
SusannaSpider · 16/10/2020 12:54
highame
Lol, he obviously has more wardrobe space (and skirts!) than I do.
I admire his confidence. I wear men's shirts, jackets, shoes and waistcoats, but it's easier for women to wear more traditionally masculine clothes.
nibdedibble · 16/10/2020 12:55
Isn’t this how Eddie Izzard used to talk about clothing in years gone by?
iklboo · 16/10/2020 12:56
Because he's the first man to do this ever in history. Except he's not.
SusannaSpider · 16/10/2020 12:56
Apologies for the typos. Even with preview, I still get it wrong🤦♀️
sunshinesupermum · 16/10/2020 12:56
FFS Every time I see 'non-gender' clothing I want to SHOUT ' we've had UNISEX clothing since the 1960s' Dress how you want.
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 16/10/2020 12:56
He looks great. It'd be great if more people could see things like this.
ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 16/10/2020 12:56
Yes, he used to say "these aren't womens clothes, they're my clothes, I bought them". There was a lot worth respecting about that way of thinking. Sad how he changed, although from the bits I've read of his biography it sounds like he was always a misogynist at heart.
Vermeil · 16/10/2020 12:57
Fair play to him, he really knows how to work a pencil skirt.
I’d love more men like him to make themselves heard, that just because you favour killer heels now and then it’s not some identity, it’s just personal taste, nothing more.
bluebluezoo · 16/10/2020 12:57
This was Eddie Izzard’s original reasoning.
In interviews early on it was very much “i wear skirts/nail varnish/make up because they’re clothes I like”. No suggestion that he was anything but a male who just had a taste in clothes that differed from gender convention.
EdgeOfACoin · 16/10/2020 12:59
I like his shoes.
As long as he is staying out of women's spaces and women's sport, he can wear what he wants.
FatGirlShrinking · 16/10/2020 13:00
The only bit I don't like is this:
"I prefer a 'masculine' look above the waist and a non-gendered look below the waist. It’s all about clothes having no gender.""
Why is it "masculine" above the waist and not "feminine" instead of "non-gendered" below the waist.
There's nothing wrong with the word feminine, and it's fair to say that high heels and a pencil skirt is a feminine style, so why label it non-gendered?
Babdoc · 16/10/2020 13:00
Aye, it’s only in the modern west that skirts are deemed female only.
Men have worn kilts, togas, sarongs, djelaba, grass skirts, loose robes, you name it, all over the world and throughout history.
Wouldn’t it be great if skirts and dresses became unisex.
Nobody could then claim that wearing a dress made them a woman. We already know that “woman” is not a costume, but this would clinch it.
bluebluezoo · 16/10/2020 13:01
Have to say he looks fabulous.
Interesting that he has no hair on his legs though. But looking at him that may be his natural state rather than intentionally depilating...
SusannaSpider · 16/10/2020 13:01
Because he's the first man to do this ever in history. Except he's not.
Of course he's not. But it's just something you don't see very often these days, without there being other messages attached to it. Yes, it's all about the clothes and a bit shallow. But at the same time, I think life would be easier if we all could just wear want we want without worrying about pronouns etc.
I was an 80's teen, it seemed to be far more common then.
MedusasBadHairDay · 16/10/2020 13:01
Bit of a raised eyebrow at equating high heels with "empowering", but fair play to him, I can't help appreciating where he's matched the shoes to his tie 
He kind of reminds me of Richard O'Brien.
I think challenging the idea that only one sex can wear certain garments is a great idea.
nibdedibble · 16/10/2020 13:02
I’m not in line with most of what I see expressed on MN but I was absolutely disappointed with Eddie Izzard when he started saying his nail varnish was a reflection of his inner femininity after all those years of stating that all clothes are for everyone. Bandwagon jumping. I stopped listening to anything he said after that.
Whatwouldscullydo · 16/10/2020 13:02
So feminists have said this for years bit man does it and it is news article worthy ?
Are we supposed to say "good on him" whilst pretending it was all his idea?
I mean yeah he absolutely should wear what he likes as should everyone but this is incredibly frustrating that no one listens til men do it.
bluebluezoo · 16/10/2020 13:03
I was an 80's teen, it seemed to be far more common then
Me too. I still have a hankering for real men with eyeliner, pirate blouses and long hair blowing in the wind...
Back when men were men
SusannaSpider · 16/10/2020 13:04
Abolish gender doesn't mean no one can wear dresses, makeup, take their spouses name, be a SAHP etc, it means EVERYONE can do those things
This 100x over.
SimonJT · 16/10/2020 13:06
Skirts/dresses on men are the norm in many cultures, men wear dresses where I was born, like Kurtas, I have some smart ones for weddings etc, I also have some slobby tracky style ones (great for after swimming). Lots of men wear trousers/leggings underneath, but a good number don’t.
A friend wears quite a few skirts etc, as attached (from his public ‘business’ insta), we wouldn’t be shocked by a woman wearing trousers, so why are we when a guy wears a skirt or dress?
Oddly I have noticed more conservative countries are less likely to care if a guy wears a skirt/dress than more liberal places.
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