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Issues in MISGender and healthImage:Janzw.jpg Photo of jeans kilt. Designed and modeled by Jan Bruyndonckx. 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.
HistoricalOnly 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.
Foreign culturesIn 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 movementAimsImage:Binx.jpeg A man wearing a denim skirt 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-divisionsParticipants separate into 2 types -
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 - UKSee: Clothing in publicThere is no law preventing a man from wearing a skirt in public. Employment lawThe 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 -
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,
SchoolsMost 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 -
Popular CultureTelevisionImage:Star Trek man in skant uniform.jpg A man wearing a skant uniform. 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 designersFamous designers who have showcased skirts for men include:
See also
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