Yesterday I saw a news article that reports a dozen male train-conductors in Sweden are wearing women's skirts because they are not allowed to wear shorts. To protest the ban on shorts, they are sporting skirts with a belief that anti-discrimination laws protect their right to do so. They want to be cool in the hot Summer months and figure they've found a way around the ban. No train customers have complained.
What do you think of their action? Is it clever? Humorous? Should they add nicer shoes? :-)
I like it! I'm all for man-skirts, if they want to wear them. And they might just get the rules changed to allow shorts for men and women.
ReplyDeletehehehe, you made me laugh with the shoe comment, its all very Gaultier, it looks like fashion has hit public transport - of course its nonsense that they cannot wear shorts and I applaud them for making a stance however I actually think the gentleman looks very attractive in his skirt (I know that is dreadful and not the point but to my defence my husband wore a kilt when we got married and looked yum) x
ReplyDeleteI think the best part in this story is that the company serenely replied that for them it's ok and that they could wear skirts from now on if they want to (and did not even mention the possibility to buy shorts for them). Let them wear skirts! :D
ReplyDeleteLooks nice actually! We need to see more hairy legs on public transport for sure!
ReplyDeleteNadya
eyeshadow illustrator
You know, I didn't even realize it was a skirt at first! It looks good on him. I think this is awesome.
ReplyDeleteProps to them for being confident in their masculinity, I guess. But every time I read about (straight, white) men complaining about discrimination against them, I get a little annoyed. I don't know the stats for Sweden, so this might be a moot point, but guys are still out-earning women in the same positions with the same experience. Women, people who aren't white, and folks on the LGBT spectrum face DAILY discrimination and general hate of a much more damaging nature than "Oh, our legs are too warm."
ReplyDeleteThanks for making that point, buddy.
DeleteAgreed, and there's a ton of discrimination against women even when it comes to the dress code. At one of my jobs, we got company shirts to wear. The guys got polo shirts, the girls got tighter, more casual t-shirts. It was a lot easier for the guys to dress a polo shirt up than for us to try and look professional in our t-shirts. No one ever said anything, but you could argue that we were at a disadvantage because we weren't really "allowed" to look more professional (we HAD to wear the company shirt, day in and day out), which could easily affect our sales performance since the customer might not take us as seriously as someone who was better dressed.
DeleteBut, I also see why these guys are doing what they're doing, and I can use the same job I referenced earlier as an example. As long as us girls wore the t-shirt, we could pretty much wear whatever the hell else we wanted. One girl constantly wore low slung jeans/short skirts which her ass actually visibly hung out of. It was summer and one of the guys wore shorts one day--nice, clean, khaki shorts, tucked in and with a belt--because it was so hot. He got in trouble and was told the guys could only wear pants. I'm not sure if that's actually gender discrimination, though; I think it was just that visible ass girl was "attractive" so none of the male supervisors minded.
So glad I quit!
Thanks for the anecdote, Ashley. It informs our discussion with depth.
DeleteI think it's quite clever, he looks pretty good and I don't mind the shoes :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I live in a hot city. So, I get it. If it's too dang hot for pants then you should get to wear shorts or skirts. I like it. Plus, they are breaking down barriers. We need the straight white men with us... It's like when the Indian men all wore skirts to show women the solidarity they felt against the brutal gang rape that happened. Men feminists and men in skirts all sound like progress to me.
ReplyDeleteI say go for it! Why should women only get to be cool in the warmer months by getting all the fun in wearing skirts and dresses?
ReplyDeletePlus, now they can accessorize! :)
DeleteI'm of Scottish heritage so we like our men in skirts!!
ReplyDeleteHe looks good. Nothing wrong with fella's wearing a skirt. I'm more confused why it's a bad thing! It's just a strip of fabric.
ReplyDeleteI think it's clever! And hopefully they're sending the message they want to get across. But nicer shoes might help ;)
ReplyDeleteGo for it - better shoes perhaps, as you said, but go for it! :) Afterall, if we look back at the history of menswear, a huge number of cultures saw men in skirts (or long tunics that were similar to loose fitting dresses) for hundreds or even thousands of years, from the (ancient) Egyptians to the Celts, so why not bring them back for chaps? (No matter the circumstances they're worn for.)
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
Exactly this
DeleteA skirt is probably cooler than shorts...a nice breeze aaaaah!
ReplyDeletePlus I'm glad they didn't use it as a tactic of belittling the men for doing something "feminine" (thus belittling women). Instead they're all..we don't care they just can't be in shorts! haha!
Ha! And why not? Skirts are decidedly cooler in summer after all. I'm sure they could have some cute kitten heels made up in their company's corporate colors to go with them. Women have been wearing men's clothes, ie trousers, forever now, so why shouldn't men wear skirts?
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking I want to move to Sweden! This is awesome! I kind of like their shoes with the skirts. Is that strange? I totally have to show this post to my boyfriend: when talking about feminism a while back, he said that men would never wear skirts: but look!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting on this! I had seen a picture of this and hadn't had time to read the article! It makes sense -- if skirts are permitted, why should women be the only ones to bare some leg?!?!
ReplyDeleteI think this is great. It's a bit unfortunate that they returned to shorts one the ban was lifted. A part of me wishes they would have continued with the skirts.
ReplyDeletenot being able to wear shorts doesnt make much sense at all! so i say good for them if women on the job can wear skirts they should be able to also.
ReplyDeleteIsabel @ Walk of Fashion
Very ingenious way of protesting!
ReplyDeleteI love the clever idea.
ReplyDeleteDaphne.
I saw that photo the other day. I didn't know it was a protest. I though he just likes to feel the breeze between his knees. The uniform still looks professional to me, like that's the "norm" you know? I think the men's work skirt just might become the next big thing. Looks comfy.
ReplyDeleteToday in the news paper they won and now allowed to wear shorts as they wanted.
ReplyDeleteThat's fun and right. I don't personally understand why men are not supposed to wear skirt if they want to
I think they did a cool thing and that was a smart move on them ;) By the way, I am new here and I have been reading a few posts from you, loved them and I am your newest follower on Bloglovin ! Hugs
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