Why Do Some Take Such Offense...

**Kilted Cole** · 30th September 11, 12:24 PM

But in reguards to the uniform delema. being a vet of two differant branches Army and Navy. Don't ask....... You'd be suprised at just how ignorant some of our fellow citizens can be. At least the Corps and the Army share some similarity's here and there for mission needs. I was in my Naval cracker Jacks and some one asked me what military i belonged to. Just attempt to be patient and professional around the ignorant as well as the rude mulititudes of the indifferant. Some folks just aren't worth the heat off of the MRE.

**Meggers** · 30th September 11, 12:29 PM

The only time I confuse the Army with the Marines is when both of them are wearing their camo. Just to be safe, if I meet a soldier wearing it and I cant tell if hes a Marine or not, I just ask "what branch of the military are you in?" Saves myself from looking too ignorant.

But c'mon. If a soldier is wearing this....:

then theres no excuse. That's a Marine.

On the same note, I get annoyed with the people who ask me about my "plaid skirt" but thats not really their fault. Ladies mini kilts DO look like catholic school girl uniforms and I dont expect them to know the difference. Just bruises my pride a little bit when it's not recognized as what I want it to be recognized as.

**Kilted Cole** · 30th September 11, 02:30 PM

I'm just saying don't expect too much out of some people. selfish ignorant in the moment all about me is the way it seems to be going and intellegence doesn't seem to be on the values of today... or some forethought. I say this not to excuse these people but some folks just arn't exposed to what most of us notice and are familiar with. Ive found out the hard way that many many people don't think before they speak and well.... I don't have a very high reguard for most people who "attempt" to be witty. their not. their just sad idividuals who are poor excuses of humanity in my humble opinion soo i try very hard to just allow them to make a fool out of themselfs and i keep walking, I've given up trying to educate them because its pointless. Otherwise ...."not soo good on the small talk are you?" seems to be my catch all for when people trying to break the ice and over estimate my sence of humor approach me.

**Graham A. Robieson** · 30th September 11, 02:49 PM

Greetings,

I would like to put this in and let everyone know, that the Black Watch, were called the Ladies from Hell by the Germans in WW1, it stuck as a nickname, so don't worry too much if someone calls it a skirt, cause the greatest come back would be to refer to that nickname of the Black Watch.

All the best,

Graham

**Kilted Cole** · 30th September 11, 03:30 PM

well put

**Jay** · 2nd October 11, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by MeghanWalker

On the same note, I get annoyed with the people who ask me about my "plaid skirt" but thats not really their fault. Ladies mini kilts DO look like catholic school girl uniforms and I dont expect them to know the difference. Just bruises my pride a little bit when it's not recognized as what I want it to be recognized as.

Which brings up the question of why they dress up young Italian girls to look like old Scottish men.

**Meggers** · 2nd October 11, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by Jay

Which brings up the question of why they dress up young Italian girls to look like old Scottish men.

haha. good point

**fingertrouble** · 2nd October 11, 04:50 PM

I find this all interesting from a gender point of view...people get upset at people challenging their gender roles, either by wearing something they think is outside their knowledge, or someone demeaning their choices by intentionally or accidentally suggesting effeminacy.

I have no problem with cross-dressing nor men wearing skirts or women wearing trousers or everthing in between. Blur the boundaries! I never understood why clothes were so 'gendered' anyway.

So although I too use the 'psychological judo' defence of being overtly nice to those who say stuff like 'Nice skirt' - although I was ruffled by one person online who said I was a 'tranny' < (his term NOT mine) in jest, not only as I've learned not exactly a good name but also wrong...but that guy has 'issues' around sexuality anyway (think closeted people bullying, that kind of thing). But if people think I am wearing a skirt/trans I don't really mind, the beard might really make them think otherwise...

But I don't mind it being called a skirt, I mean I see transgender people in London, so my little attempt at freedom and being less bothered about what anyone calls a 'man skirt' or kilt or whatever is small in the extreme.

As others have said - it might be different if you have direct clan linkage; then again I do through my partner and probably do through bloodlines somewhere (not worked that far back, I have irish so probably some scots in there ;-). Actually just remembered - I could wear Wilson via my Mum's adoptive family. I'd rather not though.

Really I do think I can wear a kilt regardless of 'clan' linkage - for years that very thing put me off and made me worry...I guess it probably does other people - if you want more people to wear them then maybe not jumping at them for not having a lineage or 'it's skirts if you're not Scottish' would help?

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

Only once have I walked into a supermarket and overheard a heated discussion about whether a man can wear a rok – it was in a part of town where kilts are rarely, if ever, seen, and the upstanding sector of the community is seriously concerned about moffies (homosexuals). Nobody actually confronted me, and I got a nice smile from the cashier.

moffie is a very derogatory Afrikaans slang word, for those that don't know. Think '******' / 'queer'. It's not 'homosexual'. Glad no-one confronted you though, and it came off well. Those who are trans have to put up with a lot of , err, kak?

**fingertrouble** · 2nd October 11, 04:58 PM

I also find it interesting contrasting the Scots nationals I know - my partner, many friends - who live or were born there - and the diaspora here in relation to this and the kilt as a 'cultural' and hereditary object .

TBH they don't seem to feel offended if you call it a skirt, or even be that attached to it or the 'rules' - apparently most of them wear underwear and are aghast anyone wouldn't.. My partner who is a Lindsay born and bred (Grant, Hamilton and Crawford linked apparently) had NEVER worn one. Not even as a child in Scotland...definitely not growing up in South Africa. He just says 'well it was created by the English!'* and is very offhand about it...I'm the one who likes kilts and I'm the one who has to defend wearing one...cos apparently to some it's a 'skirt' for me. LOL.

It does seems that those abroad are more obsessed with them and the rules and the possible 'sleight' than any of the native Scots I've known or dated (quite a few, not just my partner *eg*)? Certainly although a certain Braveheart style joshing about England (understandable given the history) there's not that attachment other than official engagements such as weddings. Certainly I don't think any of my friends own a kilt, unlike me.

* I think he's referring to the modern form, rather than the highland wrap around which always made me think of a woollen sari..:-D

**Jerry** · 3rd October 11, 06:26 AM

I had a young black girl who was our waitress at a Cracker Barrel restaurant we stopped at on our way home from the Richmond games a few years back tell me that she really liked my "Scottish Skirt" and ask what was the occasion. I explained that, "yes, it is a kind of skirt, but the correct name for it is a kilt". Then I told her about the Richmond games and she seemed interested so I told her that there was one day left. She said she was going to get her boyfriend to take her. Don't know if the did go, I was looking for her at the festival, but never saw her.