Men in skirts

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Men in Skirts (MIS) (also often referred to as Men's Fashion Freedom) is a term applied to a growing number of people who wish to make skirts, dresses and kilts acceptable for everyday wear by men in western countries, in the same way that trousers have become acceptable for women.

A man's reasons for wearing a skirt may be as varied as a woman's, including, for example, comfort, style, modesty, ease of movement, and medical conditions (e.g. rashes or eczema). But while skirts are generally considered appropriate for women in Western society, most Western men face a prejudice stigma, as skirts are seen as feminine articles of clothing. Many men and members of the MIS movement seek to eliminate this stigma.

MIS may be considered as part of the men's movement, as it aims for gender equality in clothing.

Issues in MIS

Gender and health

During the 20th century, Western women increasingly demanded and acquired the right to choose between skirts and trousers. The contemporary Western woman has a variety of choices in her apparel, yet men in the West are culturally restricted to traditional fashions. Trousers and shorts have emerged as the only socially acceptable menswear for the lower body.

Proponents of MIS argue that skirts provide ventilation and freedom, and as such, are quite suitable for men. It is argued that keeping the genitals tightly bundled up inside trousers or shorts can be a cause of constant discomfort, poor hygiene, decreased sperm count, and testicular cancer. It may also aggravate STDs or fungal infections similar to athlete's foot.

In the dress code rules for many schools and workplaces, women are permitted a much greater choice of clothing than men. This disparity can cause discomfort and loss of productivity for some men. For instance, on a hot day in summer, a woman may be cool in a dress and sandals, while men in the same building may be forced to wear suits, collars and ties, resulting in overheating, lethargy and hygiene problems.

The stigma and rules governing clothing extend to many of our social institutions. For instance, in schools where a boy has worn a skirt and been taunted or bullied for it, the school has almost always supported the bullies and sent the boy home; while girls in the same school have a free choice of what to wear.

Historical

Only certain types of skirt, made only from certain fabrics in certain styles, are considered acceptable for men. For the most part, this freedom is restricted to certain professions and special occasions. For instance, a tartan kilt is considered socially acceptable in Scotland for formal occasions such as weddings, and is still worn by some military units; a foustanella has similar uses in Greece; and a cassock is acceptable for clergy in some churches.

Men are also free to wear specific types of skirted garment in certain situations. A bathrobe, dressing gown, or towel tied around the waist are good examples--although most men would adamantly refute the idea that they are types of skirt, and none of these would typically be worn in public.

• Most European men, although usually wearing hose or leggings underneath, wore types of tunics that were effectively dresses until the 14th century.
• Very young boys in western society commonly wore dresses up until the early 20th century. Clothing was handed from sibling to sibling regardless of gender, especially in poor families. This was before western affluence and consumerism enabled families to buy as much clothing as they liked, in an age where people could not always afford good clothes. ^[1]

Foreign cultures

In many non-Western cultures it is considered normal for men to wear skirted garments for everyday activities. Examples include the Fijian sulu, Polynesian lava lava, Arabian thawb, Moroccan djellaba, East African kitenge, West African Boubou, Peruvian kilt, Indonesian sarong, and the Indian lungi. The proportion of the world's male population who are permitted to wear unbifurcated garments for everyday activities may be as high as 70% (guess).^[2]

Over the last few decades, more and more westerners have traveled to countries where men wear these clothes, and this may increase the likelihood of skirts becoming acceptable for men in western society.

The MIS movement

Aims

The MIS movement wishes to make it acceptable for any man to wear a skirted garment, in any situation where it is practicable, and for the stigma to be removed regarding the sexuality of men who choose to wear one.

Sub-divisions

Participants separate into 2 types -

• "Bravehearts" - Men who will only wear clothing in unambiguously masculine styles - such as kilts, or kilt-like skirts; or skirts made of denim, or heavy cotton in muted colors. Some modern kilts have features such as loops for carrying workshop tools.
• "Freestylers" - Men who freely mix masculine, feminine and androgynous garments, not wishing to be constrained by what they feel are artificial conventions of gender.

Neither type considers themselves to be cross-dressers, which might imply that skirts are still 'only for women'; the MIS seeks to appropriate the clothing for his own gender and make it a garment 'for men or women'.

The movement also includes female supporters. Some women find a man in a skirt particularly attractive. Others simply support their quest for equality and comfort.

The Legal Position - UK

See:

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Human Rights Act 1998

Clothing in public

There is no law preventing a man from wearing a skirt in public.

Employment law

The Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) was originally devised to promote equal rights for women, and its application to men's issues is still under development. For most issues, the SDA prohibits all kinds of sex discrimination wherever it occurs. For instance, when applied to opportunities in the workplace, it demands equality for men and women in all respects across the board. When it has been used by women wanting to wear trousers, such as in private clubs and workplaces, the women have almost always won. However, when it has been used by men in the opposite position, the interpretation has been much less favourable. This has led to discrepancies in the law which MIS activists seek to remedy.

In its current application to school and workplace dress codes, the SDA permits discrimination, provided it is "equal discrimination" ^[3]. This means that men and women can be told to wear separate clothing based on gender stereotypes, but they must be given an approximately equal number of choices, of approximately comparable function. If women can wear cool, lightweight clothes, men must also be allowed to do so. If women can wear sandals, the same right must be granted to men. If women have a choice of 3 types of garment, men must also have three choices. However, most workplaces are unaware of this and enforce dress codes which are in breach of the law. The dress code can be challenged in court - eg. the Ian Jarman case (2003) ^[4].

There are several exceptions to this rule -

• Health and Safety - in some cases, some clothing must be worn, and some clothing must not. This overrides all other considerations.
• Themed Environments - for instance, in a Greek restaurant, men and women may be required to wear specific costumes.
• Front-line jobs - generally speaking, if you are in view of clients or customers you may be required to wear "conventional dress" to avoid upsetting them.

In the latter exception, there appears to be another discrepancy. There is a well-known case where a male supermarket shelf-filler was told to cut off his ponytail. This was upheld by the courts, because ponytails are not "conventional dress" for men and the supermarket relied heavily on promoting a conventional image to customers. However, in cases where customers do not like to see a woman wearing trousers, the courts have invariably supported the woman's right to wear them.

The Human Rights Act (HRA). Since the adoption of this Act in 2000, many of these laws are once again open for interpretation. For instance,

• The enforced adherence to gender stereotyping may be an infringement of Article 10: The Right to Freedom of Expression. Women have frequently argued that they should not be forced to wear a skirt, as it arbitrarily reinforces a feminine stereotype. Men may now be able to argue the same with respect to trousers reinforcing a masculine stereotype.

Schools

Most schools in the UK have a compulsory uniform. The majority permit skirts and trousers for girls, and sometimes dresses, but only trousers for boys. This is illegal under the the SDA as described above, and may also be illegal under Article 10 of the HRA. Where this has been challenged, a few schools have adopted an equal dress code, such as -

• Skirts or trousers for all pupils. For instance, Whickham School ^[5] in Gateshead adopted this policy after the Jo Hale case (2000) ^[6][7][8].
• Trousers only for all pupils.

Popular Culture

Television

In seasons one and two of Star Trek: The Next Generation, both men and women can be seen wearing what is considered a unisex skirt-like duty uniform called a skant.

According to The Art of Star Trek: "...the skirt design for men - a 'skant' - was a logical development, given the total equality of the sexes presumed to exist in the 24th century." ^[9]

This uniform was never worn by any leading male actors, and was dropped altogether after the second season.

Fashion designers

Famous designers who have showcased skirts for men include:

• John Bartlett
• Walter Van Beirendonck
• Ozwald Boateng
• Burberry
• Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
• Comme des Garçons
• Dolce & Gabbana
• Philippe Dubuc
• Jean-Paul Gaultier
• Donna Karan
• Kenzo
• Michiko Koshino
• Maharishi
• Daniel Moloney
• Paul Smith
• Anna Sui
• Dries Van Noten
• Vivienne Westwood
• Yohji Yamamoto

See also

• Million Skirted Men
• Crossdressing
• Skirt and dress
• Kilt
• Trousers
• Men's Rights
• Sexism
• Equalism - Gender Equality
• Victorian dress reform - note especially the quote from the Rational Dress Society

References

1. ^ See http://www.histclo.com - a site dedicated to Boys Historical Clothing
2. ^ MUGs Around the World in Kiltmen.com
3. ^ http://www.thompsons.law.co.uk/ltext/l0140005.htm
4. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2840013.stm
5. ^ http://www.whickhamschool.org/
6. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/654179.stm
7. ^ http://milnemedia.typepad.com/milne_media/2004/10/jo_wins_right_f.html
8. ^ http://www.stockingshq.com/articles/society/1001trouserban.htm
9. ^ Reeves-Stevens, Judith; Garfield Reeves-Stevens (1995). The Art of Star Trek. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671898043. 

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